Duane Chapman’s Son Wesley Posts Inspiring Message with a Throwback Photo from His Childhood

The son of “Dog the Bounty Hunter” star Duane Chapman posted a rare throwback picture from his childhood on Instagram along with an emotional message about life.

Wesley Chapman shared some heart-wrenching details about his childhood in an emotional post on Instagram. The rare throwback picture features Wesley with his father Duane and his brothers Leland Chapman and Duane Lee Jr.

“This photo is part of only a handful of photos I have from my childhood. In it is myself, @lelandbchapman and @duanedogchapman and my eldest brother Duane Lee Jr,” Wesley wrote.

The details that followed were heart-wrenching as Wesley went on to reveal how he was sexually abused as a kid.

“My childhood was full of pain and fear. From sexual abuse to physical torment to suicide attempts my childhood reads like a horror story.”

LOOKING PAST THE PAIN

His horrible childhood experiences inspired him to open a humanitarian organization called “A Human Project.” Since the past 7 years, Wesley has worked tirelessly to rescue thousands of children from abusive situations.

Continuing his emotional caption, Wesley went on to express how thankful he is to be where he is today.

“To look at where I am now. The blessings I have in my life makes me so grateful for every moment of my life. The good, the bad and the ugly. To have the chance to reconnect with my dad and my siblings is priceless. To be a father to my children is priceless.”

Wesley encouraged his fans to acknowledge pain and suffering in their lives.

“I challenge you to look at your life. Look at the lessons. Stare the pain in the face, dig past the fear and remember that your life is YOUR life. Make of it what you want and stop worrying about what you were given. This is your ONE LIFE, please live it.”

Wesley has not let his past define him and continues to help other abuse victims. He turned his pain into a powerful weapon to empower others.

WESELY NEVER WANTED TO RIDE ON HIS FATHER’S COATTAILS

Although his father is a famous man, Wesley wasn’t going to settle for merely living as his famous father’s son. In an interview with Forbes, he explained how he never wanted his father’s stature to define him.

“I never wanted to ride on my dad’s coattails. His blood is in my veins. And that’s more than enough."

Instead of being in the limelight like his father, he chose to focus his energy on making people’s lives better with his humanitarian work.