It’s no secret that heaps of Kiwis love news reporter and all-round top guy Patrick Gower, but one Southland man’s love goes a little deeper - skin deep.
Jason Sandford, a bold bloke from Invercargill, has gone and got himself inked with the likeness of Paddy G.
“You’re not gonna believe this one,” Paddy said in an Instagram video. “A guy called Jase from Invercargill has gotten my face tattooed on his shoulder.”
I cannot f***ing believe it!
Turns out, Paddy met Jase a few months ago down in Invercargill, and he rates the bloke.
As much of a legend as Paddy G is, Jase didn’t just do this because he’s a fan - he did it to raise money for a good cause.
He agreed to the permanent ink during a fundraiser for the Southland Charity Hospital, which helps provide healthcare for the Southern DHB Zone to people who can’t access treatment through the private or public systems.
Azurite Tattoo Studio put the word out to anyone keen to get Paddy’s face permanently on them - and without a second guess, Jase was in.
He saw their post on Facebook, had a laugh with his wife about it, and then put his hand up.
To double down on the good vibes, Paddy also put out a challenge for Invers fans. If they can sell out his upcoming Invercargill show, he'd get the letters ‘INV’ tattooed on his ass… What a placement for the city, eh?
Kiwis are absolutely here for it, with one person commenting: “Haha this is excellent 🙌.”
“Another reason Paddy G’s the GOAT,” said another.
A third called him a “Bloody legend, mate 🙌🏻.”
Following the tattoo going viral, Azurite will also be donating all proceeds from any ink done on the 19th of November to support the charity, which was established in 2019 following the epic fight of Winton man Blair Vining.
Blair was diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer in 2018. While battling his health, Blair found out about the harsh realities of New Zealand’s healthcare system - especially the ‘postcode lottery’ - and decided to take action.
“He and his wife Melissa worked tirelessly to reform the system and make access to cancer care equitable for all Kiwis,” the Southland Charity Hospital website explains.
Though Blair lost his battle in October 2019, the community continues to rally behind his mission and legacy.
A great cause and two great men backing it, let’s see this happen!
