Collecting Feathers
Sometimes you cross paths with people on a regular basis but you never really know them until you get a chance to hear their story.
At a gym I frequent works a woman who clearly has disabilities but is always pleasant, cordial. She happen to be in ear shot of another gentleman I was talking to about tattoos and mentioned she too has some to share. I could have never expected the story she would tell….
In the photos here, you will see two tattoo; one around her ankle and one on her wrist. Both are there in memory of her son Conner, as is evident by the name below the Sponge Bob angel on her wrist. The tattoo on her ankle is also homage to Conner, the angel heart leading into the heartbeat pattern that was his.
Obviously these are commemorative but the story behind the tattoos is bone crushing.
Connor died in a tragic accident. He drowned in a ice covered pool at the age of 6. Seems he wandered off from the family, made his way through a broken fence that was surrounding the inground pool, wandered out onto the thin ice and feel through. The family searched for hours but Conner was only found after the Fire Department drained the pool.
One year later she was informed that she had MS (multiple sclerosis).
Two years later she was again blessed with a pregnancy, her sone Preston. All went well till the 3rd trimester when she had a stroke. There was discussion about taking Preston out early but they held course until a c-section one month before full term.
Needless to say the marriage did not survive this type of turmoil and heartbreak. Few marriage would.
At this point, the parents are separated. Preston and his older sister are living with the father due to the medical complications of MS the mother is experiencing. Unfortunately, the father is struggling and decides to take himself and Preston in an act of suicide, by CO2 poisoning.
Fast forward to present-day, the mother still works at the gym and maintains close ties with her daughter. While she was treatment free for 5 years, the MS is now making advancements once again.
When she told me this story, I admit I was shocked. You would not know from talking to her that she had experienced so much. In an attempt to paint a rosy picture, I remember making a comment something to the effect of, “If you believe in reincarnation, your next life is going to be fantastic! But in the meantime you certainly are gathering tons of feathers for your wings.”
I don’t know what I believe about the afterlife, but if someone is running a tally for outfitting her will angel wings in the great beyond, you can believe they will be an enviable pair.
Initials: Declined to provide
Artist: Unknown
Tattoo Shop: Unknown
