I covered my entire body in tattoos and now my family won’t speak to me – trolls are cruel but I don’t care
A GRANDAD who covered his entire body with tattoos says he has no regrets despite being disowned by his family.
Peter Bridgens, 72, from Birmingham, dedicated two decades to his extreme transformation and says he wouldn’t change a thing.
The dad-of-two started his edgy makeover whilst working for Birmingham City Council after years of pushing his tattoo dreams aside.
The retired transport head said he was inspired by his old neighbour and is now inked everywhere except the centre of his face.
But his dream sadly cost him a relationship with his family.
Peter said: “I live with my partner who has accepted me the way I am and I am in a very happy space.
“I am not in touch with my family. I was married for 41 years and have two children who are not in contact with me.
“However, I have no regrets at all as I feel good the way I am today.”
Peter, who began the radical change at the age of 36, said he didn’t make the decision lightly.
“Tattoos were something I wanted to get since the age of eight,” he said.
“I was captivated by a neighbour who was heavily inked and I liked his tattoos a lot.
“Now, I am tattooed from the top of my head to the soles of my feet.”
The grandad-of-five has developed a thick skin and understands that not everyone will accept his tattoos – including his family.
“When my mum saw what I had done to my body, she went ape,” he recalled.
“I have had so many comments from people all over but I have stopped caring.”
Peter added: “The most pointed comment I have received was from a friend of my mother.
“She said, ’Oh Peter, your tattoos! Whatever possessed you to get them?’
“I told her that indeed I am a tattooed man and had not really sought her opinion on me.”
However, Peter has received positive feedback from some members of the public.
“I have had many compliments from people so that is cool,” he said.
“That actually happens quite often, that people come up to me to compliment me.”
Peter says he is ultimately “happy” with his colourful design and could even see himself inking his face.
“I have absolutely no regrets and I am happy with the way I look,” he said.