Man with Devast8 tattoo covering his face gets a job
A New Zealand man who became well-known for his enormous distinctive "devast8" tattoo across his face has reportedly got a job.
Mark Cropp, 19, whose tattoo sits across the bottom half of his face, made headlines earlier last year when he spoke out about how hard he was finding it to get work.
Cropp received his infamous tattoo while serving a two-year sentence for armed robbery. He was convinced by his brother, whom he shared a cell with, to go under the needle after a homemade beer drinking session.
"Part of jail life, you get people with tattoos and you look at them, step back, 'Watch out for that guy' sort of thing,” the young dad told the NZ Herald at the time. “Before I knew it I had this on my face... It was swollen like a bloody pumpkin."
The 19-year-old was released from jail and spoke out on how his ink was proving to be a burden in his hunt for employment.
But now it appears he has managed to get a job after he was pictured in a high vis jacket and hard hat on the Only in New Zealand Facebook page, still with his prominent tattoo. His proud mother commented on his success.
"So super proud of u my son for getting a job and proving all the haters wrong," Kelly Doyle wrote.
"I'm proud to call him my son and I'm proud of him getting a job... all u haters can just take your nasty comments elsewhere."
She confirmed he is working in the Hamilton area.
Last year, the Crop said he had quite literally been laughed out the building while applying for jobs in his native Christchurch.
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“One employment place said to me: ‘I wouldn't employ you with that on your face, I wouldn't even take a second look at you'," Cropp recalled. “'I've had other people that just shrugged and laughed at me.”
The teenager had made the decision to share his story on Facebook so people could see he’s “just a normal human being”. It quickly made headlines.
“I was over people judging for my facial tattoo... that's why I made the decision to put that photo on Facebook, to turn around and say 'I am just a normal human being, you do not have to judge me because of the way I look’.”
Cropp had recently turned down in excess of 45 job offers after his story went viral.
"I am just waiting for the right one to come about," he said at the time.
The New Zealand man clarified the reasoning behind his decision to reject a handful of the offers was because some requried him to have his own car.
"Until I get my first paycheck and get a car I won't be able to get myself around," he said.
He had also began a course of laser removal to get rid of his tattoo but failed to go through with all the sessions.
