Turkish worker paints excavator pink to make daughter smile

A construction worker in Türkiye has turned his mini excavator into a pink, cartoon-covered machine at his 8-year-old daughter’s request, despite initial concerns about being ridiculed.

Bedir Çakmak, 33, who lives in the Cumhuriyet neighborhood of Didim in western Aydın, decided to repaint his mini excavator after its original paint became worn out. When his daughter, Elif Zümra Çakmak, heard about the repainting, she asked her father to paint it pink.

At first, Çakmak hesitated, worried about what others might say. But his daughter’s happiness outweighed his concerns. He not only painted the excavator pink but also decorated it with cartoon character stickers and humorous phrases like “I’m not throwing a tantrum, I’m moving dirt” and “I once dug a well, what a story.”

Now, Çakmak uses what his daughter has affectionately named “Pembeş” (“Pinkie”) for his excavation work.

“Normally, the machine was gray and red. I thought about repainting it in its original colors because the paint was in bad shape. But when my daughter heard about it, she said, ‘Dad, let’s make it pink or purple.’ I told her pink wouldn’t suit me and that people would make fun of it. She kept asking for a week, and in the end, I gave in and said, ‘Okay.’ I painted it pink. People were surprised, but I received a lot of positive feedback. Even if some had negative comments, I didn’t care because I did it for my daughter. Her happiness is everything,” Çakmak told Anadolu Agency (AA).

He added that some people who initially criticized the idea later praised him after learning the reason behind it. “Now they say, ‘Well done, this is the kind of father people should look up to.’ I believe every father should do what makes his daughter happy.”

Elif Zümra, a second-grade student, said she was overjoyed that her father listened to her request. “I’m so happy because my dad didn’t let me down. I love him so much,” she said.

Çakmak also plans to teach his daughter how to operate “Pembeş,” as she has taken a great interest in construction machinery.