Young Son Supportive of "Tannest Mom"

Crestwood, ND - Tristan-Joseph White is one happy two-year old. He's the proud son of Beth Sue Nelson, the reigning holder of the "tannest mother" title. Nelson was proclaimed the winner of a nation-wide search sponsored by Hawaiian Tropic that called for photographs from around the United States.

"I just sent in my pic, and boom!" says Nelson.

The regime behind the title is nothing short of hardwork and dedication. Nelson tans in a commercial tanning bed twice daily, bouncing between the two tanning salons in Crestwood due to federal regulations that prohibit tanning more than once within a 24 hour period. Hawaiian Tropic contest officials allowed for this practice because "no one can regulate the sun or personally owned bed usage so we felt it would be unfair to excluse Ms. Nelson," according to a senior spokesperson for the company.

"Tristan-Joseph has been great," beams Nelson, "he doesn't even mind when I leave him at home for a couple hours to go tan. I tell him, 'Mommy has to go and look beautiful so that I can find you a new daddy!' and he just smiles and laughs and watches me leave."

Tristan-Joseph, who just celebrated his 2 and-a-half birthday on Monday could only manage a squeal and gurgle when asked what he thought about his mother.

"When I first started, he was kinda freaked out because he didn't recognize me and what not, but he's gotten used to it and he knows that beneath all the external beauty it's the same old mom down there."