Mark Cropp, a young man hailing from New Zealand, made a life-altering choice one night while serving a two-year three-month sentence for a failed drug transaction.
After drinking strong homemade alcohol made from apples, bread, and sugar, he and his brother drunkenly chose to give Mark a face tattoo using a DIY ink made from toothpaste and melted plastic utensils.
Unfortunately, the evening concluded with Mark getting the word ‘Devast8’ inked on his face, covering his jaw and lower face.
After being released from prison, his life took a turn for the worse due to this foolish choice. He was eager to begin anew and support his wife and daughter by finding a job. Additionally, he aspired to become a respected member of society and leave his past behind. However, this proved to be much more challenging than he had expected.
Mark couldn’t find a job even with his work history because of the large tattoo on his face, not his criminal record.
He shared the story behind his tattoo with the Daily Mail Australia.
“You know there was a long time there where I would devastate everything I touched. I would end up devastating everyone I met or got close to,” he said.
“They would be disappointed with something I had done or said – I was always hearing ‘that’s devastating.’ Once it was started, I thought, I can’t go back on it now. I wish I had stopped while the outline was there to be quite honest. Before I knew it I had this on my face… It was swollen like a bloody pumpkin,” he added.
Version 1: Mark was determined to remove the terrible “art” on his face and was willing to do whatever it took. However, he couldn’t find any professionals who were willing to help him. Laser removal was too costly for him, so he turned to social media users for assistance.
Mark shared a post on Facebook displaying his tattoo, seeking employment and an opportunity for a fresh start.
The post he made received a lot of attention, proving the influence of the Internet.
His plea quickly spread, being shared numerous times, and it grabbed the interest of the staff at Sacred Tattoo, a tattoo shop located in Auckland.
Fortunately, they kindly offered to remove his tattoo without any charge, once again demonstrating their dedication to their community.
After getting rid of his tattoo, Mark secured a position at PR Contracting, a scaffolding company, where he earns $22 per hour.
We are delighted that this husband and father could begin anew.
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