This is the Phillips family of Grimsby, England: Tanya, Adam, and their daughter, Honey-Rae.
Honey-Rae was born with a birthmark that covers a good portion of her body.
Tanya told the Daily Mirror: “It is bright red and it covers almost half of the right side of her body. It stretches from her toes to her lower back. It hasn’t faded with time. In fact some days, it looks darker than others.”
Knowing their child might be treated differently, the Phillips decided to take action to help their daughter not feel alone.
An incident at a grocery store is what initially prompted them to do something.
“I was at checkout, when I saw an old couple whispering and staring at Honey-Rae’s leg. I was distraught. It was the first time I had taken her out without covering her up and it confirmed all my worries and fears,” Tanya told the Daily Mail. People are cruel without even realizing.”
The couple already had leg tattoos, but to show solidarity with their daughter they decided to get tattoos that matched her birthmark.
“Most people might think it’s very extreme, but to us, it was the natural thing to do to ensure our daughter never felt different or alone in the world,” Tanya told the Daily Mirror. “We wanted her to feel special, that her birthmark was something to feel proud of and not embarrassed by.”
Adam got his tattoo this past Christmas, with Tanya following suit last week. She said the process was tough, but worth it.
“It was incredibly painful, especially as I had a flower to cover some old star tattoos, but it was worth every second of the pain,” he told the Daily Mirror. “When the swelling went down, I showed Honey-Rae, and she gently touched it and smiled as she said ‘match,’ pointing to her own leg.”
The family stands by their descision, and believe they made the right choice for their daughter.
“She now constantly touches mine and Adam’s tattoos, then her own birthmark and giggles – I couldn’t be happier,” Tanya said.
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