The bond between father and son is one of the strongest in the natural world. When a father sees their son suffering, they will do anything to relieve that pain. Even if that means undergoing several hours of tattooing.
This is a story about one father who went to the extreme to help his son feel better about something he was insecure about.
The father in this story is Derek Pruse Sr. from the province of Alberta in Canada.
Derek is a special customer of a shop named Juicy Quill Tattoo.
Derek’s son, Derek Prue Jr., was born with a big birthmark on the right side of his chest and abdomen. It had become a source of insecurity for the child but now it is a source of family pride.
Derek Prue Sr. decided he would get his son’s birthmark recreated on his own body to show his son there is nothing to be ashamed about.
“I knew he was self-conscious about it,” Prue Sr. said. “I saw how he was reacting, and it made me want to do it so that he wouldn’t be the only one.”
This was no easy tattoo to create either.
It has taken between 6-8 weeks to complete. Those aren’t comfortable hours either, as tattooing involves a needle repeatedly scratching at the skin.
Derek Sr.’s tattoo was made to look just like his son’s birthmark.
There have been some amazing tattoos over the years, but nothing quite as touching as this one.
As Derek Jr. grew older, the birthmark became a source of insecurity for him. He might have felt afraid to take off his shirt to go swimming, or to change for gym class. Now, the story of his birthmark carries a much different meaning.
Derek Jr. grew suspicious that something was up when his mother asked to take a picture of his birthmark one day. The picture was to be used to help create Derek Sr.’s tattoo. Derek Jr. didn’t know what exactly his father was up to, however.
After several weeks of painful trips to the tattoo shop, Derek’s tattoo resembled his son’s.
He was ready to show it to him.
“I was happy and I was a little confused,” Derek Jr. said to CBC’s Edmonton AM. “I didn’t know he was going to do that.”
Tony Gibbert, the owner of Juice Quill Tattoo, posted to Facebook about his special customer.
“Today we have a father who’s 8yr old son has a large birthmark, his son is being teased and harassed by kids at school..
So he’s having the exact birthmark tattooed on himself to match his son, so he’s not alone and feeling like the only one.
This is one of the coolest and most Nobel things I’ve ever seen.
I wanted to share this with you all!
A fathers love for his son❤️..truly Amazing!
Be humble, be kind..we’re all a little different and that’s what makes us unique.”
Derek Sr. didn’t realize how long it would take for the tattoo to be completed.
“I remember the first time coming in, laying down and then after maybe three, four hours, I was like, ‘Yeah, are we almost done?’ And Tony’s like, ‘Yeah, we’re almost done the outline,’ he said.
Derek Jr’s mother Shanel says she asked Derek Jr. if he would take his shirt off to go swimming now, and he said that he would.
“Now we have the same marks for life,” Derek Jr. said about his father’s gesture.
Watch the touching moment Derek takes on the mark of his son in the video below.
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