Man who used his face as a billboard asks public to help with tattoo removal

In what was considered one of the worst ideas known to man, the man who used his body as a walking billboard has decided he wants his life back.

Hostgator Dotcom started getting paid advertisements tattooed on his face as away to earn quick cash, but now the man known as the human billboard wants his life back.

But in order to remove the tattoos, he’s asking for your help to fund the cost.

Hostgator has set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to compete the laser tattoo removal process.

At the moment his face is covered in mainly porn URL’s.

Since starting the crowdfunding in April he’s raised just under $5000 and has gone through a couple of tattoo removal sessions.

However the job is far from complete.

“I still have several tattoo ads on my face, although faded to some degree,” he wrote on his campaign page.

“I have at least 10 tattoo ads on my head that are not faded at all that I cover with a hat and hair.”

While many may be quick to condemn his actions, Hostgator points out the decision to get his face tattooed was one of desperation.

He was laid off from his job after being evicted from his apartment and he was concerned for the welfare and future of his five children.

“All I could think about night and day was I could not allow my family to be homeless,” he said.

“I also knew no matter what, I would not do anything illegal.

“I decided that selling advertising space on my body might be the only way to keep my kids off the street.”

He began emailing websites to see if they would invest in an advertisement on his body.

“Most were not interested. The ones that were wanted to advertise on my face,” he said.

“It was a very hard choice … but at the time I thought I had to sacrifice for my children.”

The price of his first tattoo was enough to support his family for a month.

However he quickly learnt his lack of foresight had failed him as no one wanted to hire a man with silly tattoos on his face.

That led to him selling more of his face to websites.

“It got to the point where I was covered in tattoo advertisements as I am today,” he said.

“I was happy my kids were not homeless, but every time I looked in the mirror I cried, ‘who had I become?’”

Eventually the space ran out and the money did too – his family became homeless and Hostgater fell into a depression where he contemplated suicide.

Nearing breaking point, he sought help and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

After seeking treatment he was offered a job as a peer support specialist at the mental health facility that helped him with his recovery.

Now he’s hoping kind strangers will help him to remove the tattoos so he can become a counselor and assist people battling mental illness.

“If I can get my tattoos removed and change my name back to my birth name Billy Gibby then I can go after my dreams again and be the person I know I can be for me and for my children.”

BAD DECISIONS CAUGHT ON FILM

The guy who decided to recreate the scene from 'Up'.

The ram raiders who failed at stealing an ATM
The couple who decided to microwave their phone

The groom who tried to zip line his way to the altar