Everyone knows that tattoos are permanent. Once they’re inked onto your skin, there’s no turning back. That’s why a lot of people spend a lot of time and effort thinking about what they want to have tattooed on their bodies. Of course, some tattoos have no significance whatsoever—but these are not one of them.
Here are 12 tattoos that hold special and powerful meanings—these are the stories behind them.
Not gonna lie, you might need a tissue.
1) 18th Birthday Gift
“I got this 3 days after my 18th birthday, It’s my grandfather who died when I was 7 holding up the world in his WWII uniform.”
What a powerful tattoo to commemorate a loved one.
2) Love, Nico
This tattoo is for Jeremy’s sister who lost her battle with cancer. She was special needs and couldn’t write many words but she gave her brother cards and would sign her name. This tattoo is a scan of the last card she gave him.
3) First Tattoo
At just 15-years-old, her friend committed suicide. She decided to get the last note her friend wrote her as her first tattoo. Her friend called her Bacon because that was the only word she was able to learn in their sign language class.
4) Birds
A week after their dad died, a woman and her sister decided to get tattoos of birds to honor him and his parents. After he passed, their stepmom asked him to send cardinals to the family. They have been showing up ever since on various items such as cards, clothes. etc.
5) Counting Down the Days
After his grandmother passed, he decided to get a tattoo of an audio clip with her saying, “you’ve got me counting down the days.” It’s from a letter she wrote to her husband while he was deployed in the 50s. The script is also in her handwriting from that letter.
A lot of thought went into this tattoo!
6) Fairy
Before her mother died unexpectedly, she told her daughter that if she got another tattoo, it would be a fairy. She also found a note her mom wrote to her that read, “I love you so much -Mom.”
What a beautiful piece of art.
7) Cruising
Christine’s parents had cancer at the same time. Her father drew this boat and wrote this note for his family. He drew the boat because he was a Navy veteran and he and his wife enjoyed cruises.
Christine got the tattoo in her father’s memory.
7) Extra Life
After heart surgery, she decided to get a tattoo of the “extra life” that her new heart had given her.
8) Note for Hannah
Hannah’s father wrote this note for her the day she was born. After he passed away, she got it tattooed. She now has something permanent that she can carry with her.
9) Legos
This user got a tattoo of their brother after he died short of his 40th birthday. Blue was his favorite color. The smaller lego is his sibling hugging him also in their favorite color, yellow.
10) Got Your Back
After his dad passed, he asked the funeral home to take a handprint of his dad’s hand. He then got the print tattooed on his back.
What a very symbolic tribute piece.
12) Home
His grandfather drew out a diagram showcasing where their home is on earth using longitude and latitude.
13) Loving Husband
To show his love and support for his wife, this loving husband got a tattoo representing his patience and understanding for his wife and her depression.
This is such a heartwarming piece of art.
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