20 People Who Expressed Their Story With a Tattoo and Made Our Hearts Ache

Tattoos are skin deep, but their meanings and backstories can go deeper — all the way into the person’s heart. And the beauty of this art is that it can be used to decorate the body while honoring a valuable memory. Take, for example, these people, who used their skin as a canvas and the ink as a tool to share a special moment of their life.

Bright Side collected 20 photos of tattoos with meaningful stories that will pierce your heart like tiny needles.

1. “Lost my mom in April and got a tattoo of one of her drawings and her handwritten note for me.”

The note reads: “I’d rather walk in the rain with you...than in the sunshine alone. I love you.”

2. “I figured I’d share my Marvel tattoo. My 9-year-old son drew the original artwork.”

3. “I got a tattoo of my late nana’s handwriting. Now I can look down and know she’s with me.”

The tattoo reads: “Thanks for all the joy you bring into our lives. Love you bunches, Nana.”

4. “My sister and I decided to commemorate our first family dog with a tattoo of our 14-year-old girl, Meg.”

5. “Now I’ve got my childhood stuffed dinosaurs with me every step of the way.”

6. “I got a tattoo of my hamster! I think that the world needs more of that stuff.”

7. “Covered up my scar from a motorcycle accident with this tattoo. It is effective at making me feel pretty again.”

8. “My cat used to lay like this all the time, especially when he was being a cuddle bug. Now it’s like he’s always cuddling with me.”

9. “My best friend died in 2020, and she was obsessed with birds. I got this tattoo to remember her by.”

10. “A sunflower tattooed around my birthmark — I’ve been thinking of the design since I was 18. I’m 25 now and finally did it.”

11. “My cat doing her signature brush up on my legs”

12. “My father passed away unexpectedly. I took a photo of one of his tattoos and got my own version in memory of him.”

13. “I’ve had multiple ankle surgeries. I got a tattoo to make my scar look sillier.”

14. “A piece I designed in eighth grade and held on to for 5 years — it’s the physical embodiment of a kid who found his peace in music.”

15. “A Cinderella-inspired chef tattoo — I lost my mom and it was her all-time favorite story.”

16. “I used to draw happy faces on my hand. This tattoo makes me smile, which is nice since I’ve been struggling with anxiety and depression.”

17. “I’ve always been obsessed with elephants. The babies represent my 2 sons.”

18. “My friend was born without her right arm and her legs.”

“She didn’t have an amputation wound or stitches, but she wanted to create a conversation piece.”

19. “Wanted a tattoo for my dad, so I got the wrinkles in his forehead.”

20. “My wife tweeted author Neil Gaiman, asking for the line, ’I am hope’ and his signature for commemorating our friend who loved Sandman.”

Do you have a special memory or a loved one that you would like to commemorate through body art? For those who’ve already gotten inked, which of your tattoos has the most interesting backstory? Share your photos and stories in the comment section.