Grandpa
This tattoo is my favorite—it’s a portrait of me and my grandpa, one of the last few pictures I had of him where he wasn’t sick or in a hospital. His health was never perfect, but you always think grandparents live forever. My grandpa was my best friend, my role model, and the best grandpa anyone could ask for.
He got sick after going into surgery to get a cochlear implant to help with his hearing. After weeks of tests and no clear answers, we made the decision to move him to hospice. As an 18-year-old, that’s not something you ever want to hear—knowing he wouldn’t get to see me graduate, get married, or have my first child.
I had plans to go to camp the following week after he moved to hospice. I fought my family on going because I didn’t want to leave him, but he told me everything was going to be okay. While I was eight hours away, having the time of my life, my grandpa passed away. I had no contact with my family, so I had no idea. Three days later, I came home to the worst news: he was gone.
I knew right away I wanted something to remember him by—not just a name or a date, but something that showed his personality and silliness. I found the best picture I could, and I knew it was the one. Even now, people ask about it all the time, and I love being able to share that it’s such a meaningful tattoo.