Unemployed dad with face tattoo rejects 45 job offers since going viral with desperate work plea

A teenage father with ‘DEVAST8’ tattooed across his face is ‘waiting for the right job offer’ after his desperate plea for work went viral – and he has revealed he will be getting the jailhouse ink lasered off. 

Mark Cropp, 19, from New Zealand, took to social media on Wednesday afternoon to beg someone to look past his criminal convictions and heavily-tattooed face and give him a chance at work.

Within hours he had been inundated with job offers and said he had ‘stopped counting when he reached 45’. 

Scroll down for video 

Mark 'Devast8' Cropp (pictured) had his nickname 'DEVAST8' tattooed across his face in jail

Mark ‘Devast8’ Cropp (pictured) has revealed that he has turned down 45 job offers since his story went viral

The 19-year-old (pictured) had taken to social media in frustration that his face tattoos were preventing him from finding work

The 19-year-old (pictured) had taken to social media in frustration that his face tattoos were preventing him from finding work

But he told Daily Mail Australia he still hadn’t ‘done a day’s work’.

‘I am just waiting for the right one to come about,’ he said.

We live in ‘Britain’s unhappiest town’ – There are pickpockets

Some of the jobs required him to have his own car – he clarified – but he will need help getting to the work site.

‘Until I get my first paycheck and get a car I won’t be able to get myself around,’ he said.

The former criminal revealed he will be getting the artwork – designed by his brother after a night of drinking home brew in jail – removed as soon as possible.

Cropp's partner,  Taneia Ruki, told Daily Mail Australia Cropp has accepted a fulltime scaffolding job 

‘A week before I got out I taped a picture of my face to the inside of an envelope so my partner could see it – she was devastated – but now she likes it and can’t see me without it,’ Cropp (pictured, right) said

Man with DEVAST8 tattoo speaks about trying to get a job

‘I am just working out a date to get it taken off – which sucks because it is going to hurt,’ he said. 

‘And because, you know, this tattoo means something to me and my brother did it for me so it is hard to make the decision to get rid of it.

‘But I know it is the best thing for my future – and I want to be a person my family can look to for support.’

The artwork was designed to make him ‘look tough’ when he landed in jail following a long string of violent behaviour.

This image shows Cropp (pictured) before the face tattoo which made him go viral on social media

This image shows Cropp (pictured) before the face tattoo which made him go viral on social media

The teenage father grabbed global headlines after he turned to social media to complain that his face tattoo was a stain on his job prospects

‘And because, you know, this tattoo means something to me and my brother did it for me so it is hard to make the decision to get rid of it,’ he said

Mark and girlfriend Taneia Ruki got together a year before he was sent to prison 

Mark and girlfriend Taneia Ruki got together a year before he was sent to prison 

It was meant to be a ‘little one along the jawline,’ but the pair got carried away after drinking home brew made from fermented apples, sugar and bread.  

‘I went into jail with four tattoos and I came out with a full body suit,’ he said.

But the face tattoo was the biggest shock to his family.

‘A week before I got out I taped a picture of my face to the inside of an envelope so my partner could see it – she was devastated – but now she likes it and can’t see me without it.’ 

DEVAST8 happens to be the 19-year-old’s nickname.

Mark Cropp (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia he is still waiting for the right job to come along
The viral social media sensation has other tattoos also, but plans to get the face ink lasered off

Mark Cropp (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia he is still waiting for the right job to come along

Cropp (pictured) says the face tattoo was supposed to be small but he and his brother got carried away after drinking homebrew

Cropp (pictured) says the face tattoo was supposed to be small but he and his brother got carried away after drinking homebrew

‘I was going through a rough patch’: Teen with DEVAST8 jail tattoo

‘I would end up devastating everyone I met or got close to. 

‘They would be disappointed with something I had done or said – I was always hearing “that’s devastating”,’ he said.

But he hopes the devastating chapters of his life are over – erased along with the ink on his face.

‘I have learnt from my mistake,’ he said.

‘I still don’t think people should be judged by the tattoos on their face – but I know it will keep happening unless I do something about it.’ 

Before his final desperate plea on Facebook the teenager said people had ‘laughed in (his) face’ when he had asked for work.  

The tattoo was drawn with a homemade gun which used a needle made from the spring of a pen and powered by a cassette player.

Plastic knives and forks are burnt to a black plastic powder and mixed with toothpaste and water to create the ink.

The teenager has been out of jail for two weeks. 

Mark has also been offered laser therapy to remove the tattoo and will have his first session on Tuesday (pictured right with partner) 

Mark has also been offered laser therapy to remove the tattoo and will have his first session on Tuesday (pictured right with partner) 

The New Zealander (pictured) has been out of jail for two weeks and says he has learnt from his mistake

The New Zealander (pictured) has been out of jail for two weeks and says he has learnt from his mistake

My granddaughter kicked me out of my house because I married at 81. I gave her a BIG lesson

I had always believed that family was the cornerstone of life. After losing my daughter and son-in-law in that tragic car accident, I knew my purpose was to be there for Jenny. I sold my house, the home where I’d lived for decades, to pay for her college education. She was a bright, ambitious girl with a future full of promise. Every day, I put her needs above mine, ensuring she had everything she needed to succeed. In those moments, I almost forgot about my own happiness.

Then, Gerald entered my life. We had known each other for years, having grown up in the same neighborhood. He was my childhood friend, the boy who used to tease me by pulling my braids and then offer to carry my books home. Over the years, we lost touch, only to reconnect at a community event. He was the same sweet, gentle Gerald I remembered, and we quickly rekindled our friendship. But this time, it blossomed into something more – something beautiful and unexpected. At 81, I never thought I would find love again, but there it was, shining brightly in front of me.

The Proposal
When Gerald proposed, I felt like a teenager again, my heart fluttering with joy and excitement. I couldn’t wait to tell Jenny. I imagined she would be happy for me, supportive even. After all, hadn’t I been there for her every step of the way? But the reaction I received was far from what I expected.

Jenny was furious. “You’re too old for this, Grandma! An old lady in a white dress – it’s embarrassing!” Her words cut deep, but I tried to reason with her. She started blaming me for disrespecting her late grandfather, saying he would be disappointed in me. I understood her grief, but I couldn’t let it dictate my happiness. I had given up so much for her; was it so wrong to want a little joy in my life?

The Fallout
The situation escalated when Jenny found out about Gerald moving in. She went ballistic, refusing to share the house with him. “There is no way I’m living with that old man!” she yelled, her face red with anger. I tried to explain, to calm her down, but she wouldn’t listen. Before I knew it, she was packing up my belongings, throwing them into suitcases and garbage bags. The next thing I knew, I was out on the streets, homeless and heartbroken.

But I couldn’t just forget what Jenny had done. She needed to learn a lesson – one that would make her understand the value of family and respect. So, I took action. I consulted a lawyer and began the process of reclaiming my house. I had sold it to pay for her education, but I still had rights. The legal battle was tough, but with Gerald by my side, I persevered.

The Lesson
One day, there was a knock on Jenny’s door. She opened it to find a process server handing her an eviction notice. Her face went pale as she read the document. I had reclaimed my house, and she was the one being asked to leave. She tried to fight it, but the law was on my side.

In the end, I found my happiness and restored my relationship with Jenny. It wasn’t the path I expected, but it was the one that led me to where I am today – surrounded by love and finally, truly happy.

Related Posts

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*