Once a regular teen from New Zealand, Gregory Paul McLaren got his first tattoo at 16—a small juggling club hidden from his mom. That one tattoo sparked a lifelong obsession. Now known as Lucky Diamond Rich, he’s considered the most tattooed man in the world, with ink covering his entire body—even his eyelids, gums, and ears. Some areas have been redone multiple times.

Before the tattoos, Greg was a bright-eyed, artistic soul who dreamed of circus life—not fame, but freedom. He joined a troupe, traveled the world, and picked up tattoos along the way, each one marking a moment or memory.

Despite how drastically he’s changed, Lucky says he has no regrets. But when he shared a photo from before it all, many were shocked by how handsome and “normal” he once looked.