Wes Chapman, one of Dog the Bounty Hunter star Duane “Dog” Chapman‘s sons, decided to share a very cool throwback photo on Thursday. The photo shows Duane with his sons, including Wes, Leland Chapman and Duane Lee Chapman Jr., during their childhood. Chapman said this one of the very few photos he has from his younger days.
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“This photo is part of only a handful of photos I have from my childhood,” Chapman wrote. “In it is myself, [Leland] and [Duane] and my eldest brother Duane Lee Jr.”
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Chapman revealed that his childhood was “full of pain and fear,” with “sexual abuse to physical torment to suicide attempts,” and referring to his childhood as a “horror story.”
“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,” Chapman wrote. “To be a father to my children is priceless.”
Chapman added that having his wife, Jodie Chapman, by his side is “priceless.” He also said he would not change anything from his past because it led to his present, which has been “pretty famn amazing.”
He then offered some words of advice for his followers.
“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,” he wrote. “Have no regrets. Live life to the fullest and put the victim to bed. No matter where you have been you still have time to get to where you want to be!”
Chapman’s followers were deeply moved by his sentiment.
“Amazing. Most amazing words I’ve ever read. I know so many people who need to hear this message,” one person wrote. “Thank you so much for sharing.”
“So well stated and I agree with you,” another wrote. “I was in an awful relationship for years but I’d do it all over again to get to where I am today. Much respect.”
Although Chapman is one of the lesser-known members of the Dog the Bounty Hunter family, he is busy with his charity work. He helped establish The Human Gathering event to help children dealing with abuse and to stop sex trafficking. He also established A Human Project, which focuses on “the next generation of human beings and their lack of understanding in their inherent self worth.”
In a recent profile by Forbes, Chapman teased more exciting projects and plans to finally step into the spotlight.
“My dad and I are getting ready to make a lot of noise and do some massive things,” he told the magazine. “I’ve been working behind the scenes for so long. It’s time for me to let the world know what we’ve been up to.”
While fans wait to see what Chapman has planned, they can see his father and his late stepmother, Beth Chapman, in Dog’s Most Wanted, which debuts on WGN America Wednesday, Sept. 4 at 9 p.m. ET.
Photo credit: Instagram (Wes Chapman); Getty Images (Duane “Dog” Chapman)