A woman, Taylor White, was victim to a horrific attack that left her face disfigured with crude tattoos against her will. The incident occurred when she was just 21, and she was forced to cover the marks with dark black ink, effectively blackening half of her face.
Now, after more than a decade of living with the consequences, White finally receives a glimmer of hope. Karidi Eskenasi, also known as TheDadBot on TikTok, has decided to selflessly donate all his money to assist White in removing the tattoos.
White, who also struggles with bipolar disorder, expressed how her appearance has hindered her ability to find employment, particularly in the mental health field.
Mental health journey
She shared her desire to support others suffering from serious health conditions, but felt that her appearance prevented her from doing so effectively. However, her life is about to change thanks to the emotional appeal she received from a stranger online.
When she was younger, White tattooed thin lines on the sides of her face as a form of "war paint."
She did this during a manic episode, while working as an artist in a tattoo shop. At the time, she was married to a military servicewoman, but the marriage eventually ended, leaving White homeless and sleeping on a tattoo parlor couch.
Then, she encountered a man whom she believed to be charming, but he turned out to be physically and sexually abusive.
The details of the incidents are hazy in White's memory, but she woke up after her 21st birthday celebration with physical symptoms indicating she had been attacked against her will. She discovered the terrible tattoos on her face, but she chose not to disclose their content due to shame. When she returned to work at the tattoo shop weeks later, her boss noticed the ink peeking out from her heavy concealer, leading him to suggest blacking it out to allow her to live a normal life.
Although she accepted his offer in 2008, her life has been far from ordinary, as she faced repeated rejections due to her appearance.
Story goes viral
White's story gained attention when she started sharing it on TikTok, with the goal of removing the stigma around mental illness.
She wishes someone had told her as a younger person that it's okay to struggle and seek help when needed. Currently pursuing a doctorate in psychology after completing her bachelor's degree, White is determined to help others, but first, she needed assistance herself.
Eskenasi came across one of White's TikTok broadcasts and was moved by her story. He decided to reach out and offer to cover the costs of her laser tattoo removal. Eskenasi, who has a significant following on TikTok, understands the personal impact of the challenges White faces and wants to enable her to reach her full potential.
Eskenasi, based in Texas, searched for a clinic willing to undertake the difficult task of removing White's multi-layered tattoos.
He was unsure if anyone would be able to complete the procedure successfully or if he could afford the expensive treatment. Eventually, Removery, a laser tattoo removal company, volunteered to help free of charge.
Typically, laser tattoo removal is a lengthy and costly process, but Carmen VanderHeiden Brodie, vice president of clinical operations at Removery, estimates that it may take over two years for White's tattoos to completely disappear due to the dark ink on her face.
Nevertheless, White embraced this opportunity, shedding tears of excitement as she prepared to let go of the painful reminders of her past. During her first removal session last month, she even smiled through the laser pain. For White, this process represents more than just cosmetic change. It symbolizes her transformation and the start of a new chapter in her life.