These are my 2nd and 3rd tattoos that I got the very same day, one after the other.
My Grandmother died October 23rd, 2012. The very next day my mom and I flew to Puerto Rico for her funeral on the 25th. We buried her the 26th and I got my tattoo from my cousin (He doesn’t have his own shop, he tattoos out of a small home studio called I Have A Dream Today) on November 2nd while we were still on the island.
I got her signature tattooed on me, Arsenia Guzman. It’s her signature from one of the last letters she’d been able to write 4 years ago. She’d suffered a stroke and had lost her ability to write and speak. She’d been struggling but fighting through it all up to October of this year. She’d gone in to get her catheter placed back since it had moved out of place and she suddenly suffered a massive heart attack. The doctor’s were just as shocked as our whole family was.
The rose was drawn by my very near and dear (and disgustingly talented) friend Mike Randazzo, an apprentice at Fallen Sparrow tattoo shop in Kissimmee, FL.
Roses were her favorite and we buried my sweet little lady with dozens of them. I chose the placement because of this tattoo that I have, they both relate to each other because they have to do with my family and where it all started. She was the center of our family and I hated that I was going to the location of my tattoo under such horrible circumstances but I was glad I got to say good bye to her one last time.
The rose took 3 hours and it was a bitch, but I never took a break because if I did I knew I’d just run off and never get it finished. The signature took like 10 minutes and wasn’t bad at all.
Getting these tattoos was just really emotional and they’re both good and bad reminders. I’m coming to terms with her death just because I know she’s with my grandfather now and she’ll be with me always because of these tattoos. My biggest fear is forgetting people I love, but I know that won’t be possible with her name on my shoulder at all times.
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