Dad Endured a Painful 30-Hour Tattoo to Help His Son Deal With Insecurity

A Canadian father was criticized for enduring 30 hours of tattoo pain for his son, who, after some time, began to feel ashamed of his huge birthmark. However, he chose to bring a big smile to his little kiddo’s face and explained the true reason behind his painful decision.

As he grew up, the boy knew he was unique.

Derek Prue Sr. from Stony Plain, Alberta, saw that his son, Derek Jr., felt unsure about taking off his t-shirt at the pool. Derek Jr. has had a big birthmark on his chest since birth.

“I think he was maybe a little bit self-conscious about it. I wanted to get the same thing so he wouldn’t be the only one,” Derek Sr. said.

Derek Sr. went to Juicy Quill Tattoo without telling anyone for the first of 9 tattoo sessions. He initially thought it would be done in just one session, but it actually took around 30 hours over several sessions. The first session lasted about 4 hours, and he wasn’t sure how much progress was made. Because the tattoo was big and placed in a sensitive area, he needed to be numbed multiple times because it was painful.

No matter how much it hurts, a father’s love remains strong.

The tattoo is identical to his son’s birthmark on his chest. The tattoo artist, Tony Gibbert, explained that the area of the body where the tattoo was put — the ribs and chest — has sensitive nerves: “It’s pretty painful.”

The son had no idea what his dad had done until they went swimming as a team. When they were at the pool, the dad removed his shirt, revealing a tattoo that matched his son’s birthmark. The son thought it was awesome and took off his shirt, too, enjoying the pool without any worries, just like his dad had wished.

Sometimes, people would ask the boy about his birthmark, but he didn’t really care. He would just tell them it’s a large brown mark he’s had since he was small.

Afterward, the father and son returned to the tattoo studio. The artist, Gibbert, got to see what he had created and learned that this tattoo had made a significant difference in Derek Sr.’s son’s life. It boosted his confidence and made him feel less alone with his birthmark. The son shared that the birthmark and tattoo were now like a permanent part of him.

A dad’s love is limitless, making regular times special memories. One father’s action of going to a game all covered in dirt just to enjoy it with his son got lots of attention and made people feel warm inside. Read their story here.