Happy Birthday to Mark Bowers!

Break out the candles and cake.

Mark Bowers is finally a teenager.

That’s right—Bowers, a Brecksville resident and Service Department employee, has only gotten to celebrate his official birthday 13 times. He was born during a leap year, so his Feb. 29 birthday only rolls around once every 4 years.

So today is both his 52nd and 13th birthdays.

When his three daughters were growing up, Bowers said they used to joke around, delighting in when they were “older” than him. When posing for a photo recently, they laughed, realizing that their dad was coming up on the “ear-piercing” birthday.

Bowers called himself an easy-going guy, and said he doesn’t make a big deal out of his birthday.

“It comes and goes,” he said.

But even ignoring the one-of-a-kind date, Bowers’ birthday celebrations have always been unique.

As a kid, he and two of his sisters used to have a joint birthday party, since he was born on the 29th, followed two years later by a sister on the 27th and another sister three years later on the 28th. A third sister was born in the spring and got her own party.

And 23 years ago, Bowers celebrated his birthday by welcoming his oldest daughter, Sarah, who was born on Feb. 28.

Bowers works for the Service Department and runs his own company, Bowers Remodeling, on the side. He said he most enjoys working on carpentry and painting projects, and his favorite city project was replacing the trim on this summer.

Bowers said he has no big plans for today, saving the celebration for another big milestone: his 25th wedding anniversary. Bowers and his wife, Julie, are planning to go on a Caribbean cruise in April for the occasion.