A man who was bullied for his weight has become a plus-size model
After several years of bullying regarding his excessive weight, he felt like a fat ugly wreck. John Savoia has struggled with being overweight almost his entire life, and not only on the street and at school, but even among friends, he was often the target of abusive language.
Eventually, the insults and unflattering remarks were so many that John, who now weighs around 115 kilograms and wears a size XL, was driven to the point of self-harm, convinced that he was a lost existence, forever doomed to live alone.
"My size was a source of low self-esteem. When I was a child, I was bullied not only because of my weight but also because of my inability to do all sorts of physical things. At that point, I realized I was a little different than everyone else. I thought I would never be loved by anyone or considered attractive," John said during a media interview.
One day, however, everything changed. John met his now wife Lucy and his life took a 360-degree turn. But what made him accept himself was his penchant for photography. From his position as a photographer, he even found himself in front of the lens after a while.
It was sometime in 2006 when John became bedridden due to a broken leg. That's when he became interested in photography. At first, he took pictures of his surroundings, but eventually he turned the lens on himself. It was the first time he had ever faced his own body in this way, but it led to him learning to like himself for who he was. The photos captured his body in a completely different way than looking in the mirror. In his words, there was something deeper in the pictures.
"The photographs made me feel like I was finally good at something," says John. While people often condemn him for promoting an unhealthy lifestyle, he defends himself by saying that he promotes happiness above all else. In John's words, there is nothing more important than being truly happy.
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