Follow Your Heart

When someone submits a tattoo for the Anatomy Tattoo Gallery I usually ask them for a brief explanation of the tattoo. It's one think to just look at a tattoo and admire the art, but it's knowing the meaning of a tattoo that adds so much value.

Andrea recently submitted this photo of her anatomical heart tattoo. The story behind it is one of the most touching I've read so far.

My tattoo is of an anatomical heart on my foot. You are probably wondering 'why a heart on her foot'? Well its a long story, so I will try to make it brief...

I was born on my cousin's (Sonny) birthday. He was about 15 years older than me, but he was bigger brother in my eyes. Sonny and I became extremely close friends. He had Marfan Syndrome, it is a genetic disease that effects the overall skeletal structure, so he was extremely tall (6'6), and thin as a board. He wore a permanent 'zipper' (as he would call it) down his chest from multiple open heart surgeries. None of this cease to phase Sonny. He had a heart of gold and lived his life to the fullest. He worked for a record label and followed his passion for music. Music is what brought us so close together.

Well one night on September 2002 He and his family invited me over for dinner. Something felt weird that night, also as if Sonny knew something. We went into his room so he could play a new album for me and he started talking about life in general, and how important it is to live it to the fullest. We normally did not talk about that stuff all the time, but this time it was different.

So as we are talking, his mother, my crazy lebanese, yet funny, aunt is screaming for us to come to dinner. Well Sonny, was agrivated and yelled up "We're coming Mother!" He turned and looked at me, grabbed me by my shoulders and said, "Follow your heart kid". Those words were the most sincere words I have ever heard or felt come out of anyone's mouth. He meant every word to the fullest meaning, because he needed a heart transplant. We had dinner, and that was the last night I saw Sonny. It was our last super (in a weird non religious way). Two nights later he was in the hospital. I was not allowed to see him in that state. While he was struggling for his life in that bed, my aunt yelled at him and told him to "hold on and fight Sonny boy, fight." He sat up and looked at her and said, "Mom look into these eyes! Does it not look like I am not fighting!" and he passed away.

Ok, sorry for that winded story, but it is so hard to explain or even put his strength and spirit into words. He was the strongest person I know, and a Son-of-a-Bitch if there ever was one! He was a smart-ass :0), but I loved him.

Thanks for taking the time to read that.........