Inked Talk

A 33-year old woman of the Atayal indigenous tribe in eastern Taiwan is the first Atayal woman to have a facial tattoo in nearly 100 years. Shayun Foudu told reporters that “facial tattooing is an old cultural tradition of the Atayal tribe. I feel very proud to be able to have a tattoo on my face.”

Facial tattoos among Taiwan’s aboriginal tribes are thought to date back 1400 years, although they were outlawed by Japanese colonial rulers in recent history. Traditionally, a young Atayal woman would have her face tattooed after her first menstrual period. Atayal men would get facial tattoos when they married. Foudu’s husband was also tattooed in accordance with Atayal tradition, although the couple opted to use modern tattooing techniques.

The couple hopes that their tattoos will be met with acceptance, and they are proud of their historic step towards preserving an important Atayal tradition.

Foudu added that if her children wished to have their faces tattooed when they grew older, she would certainly approve.

Recent statistics have suggested that one in four adults aged 18-30 have a tattoo. As tattoos have become more mainstream, laser tattoo removal procedures have likewise made great strides, and the result is more people having tattoos removed now than ever before.

A study led by Myrna Armstrong of Texas Tech University suggests that women are more likely than men to undergo laser tattoo removal. Armstrong’s team visited tattoo removal clinics Arizona, Colorado, Massachusetts and Texas to find out who was undergoing tattoo removal procedures, and why. Armstrong’s study consisted of just 196 people.

Above photo: tattoo removal in progress, courtesy of http://www.immortalimagestattoo.com

Sixty-six men and 130 women were interviewed for the study. In addition to demographic information, they answered questions about why they got the their tattoos, and why they were seeking removal. The most popular reasons for getting a tattoo were to commemorate an occasion and to feel “unique” and “independent.”

Women who were white, single, college-educated and between the ages of 24 and 39 were the most likely to seek removal of their tattoos. Their reasons for removal included suffering embarrassment from the tattoo, lowering of body image, getting a new job or career, having problems with clothes, and experiencing stigma. While men reported some of the same problems, they did not appear to suffer the same external pressure that women did. This led the researchers to conclude that society may be less supportive of women’s tattoos.

This author has to add her two cents to that conclusion. Anyone who has taken a basic statistics class knows the phrase “correlation does not equal causation.” In other words, an apparent correlation between two things does not suggest that one causes the other. My favorite pop culture example of this is the famous “Pirates vs. Global Warming” chart:

The chart shows that as the number of pirates has decreased, the average global temperature has increased. While the chart is comedic, it illustrates the point that just because two appear to have a correlation, you cannot conclude that one causes the other.

So what does this have to do with Armstrong’s study on tattoo removal?

The conclusion that societal pressures lead to women seeking tattoo removal more often than men is misplaced. Simply because more women cite societal pressure for tattoo removal doesn’t mean that societal pressure towards women is the cause. What about tattoo placement? Are women more likely to get a tattoo that isn’t easily concealed in the workplace? Or perhaps the societal pressure is equal among the sexes, but women are more likely to succumb to that pressure.

Or perhaps there is another explanation entirely.

While Armstrong’s sample size for this study may be too small to be conclusive, perhaps a more interesting study would have examined the correlation between the reason for initially getting the tattoo and its ultimate reason for removal. Perhaps women are more likely to get a tattoo that is relatively meaningless to them to start with, thus making the decision to have it removed less monumental and more akin to a change of wardrobe.

Armstrong’s study, while interesting, is just the beginning. A larger sample size and questions that examine the relationship between the reason for the tattoo in the first place and the reason for its removal may be more telling.

Until recently, tattoos in America have been largely restricted to sailors and bikers. Similarly, tattoos in Japan have traditionally been associated with Japan’s organized crime body - the Yakuza. The Yakuza have historically used extensive full body tattooing as means of identification and as status symbols. For this reason, tattoos have long had a negative connotation in Japan.

Older Japanese still tend to associate tattoos with organized crime, and for that reason public baths in Japan have often restricted the entry of anyone with tattoos.

Even though Japanese water parks are targeted at a younger generation, tattooed people in Japan still have a hard time locating a water park that will allow them in. The business owners reason that tattoos are still frightening to some due to the Yakuza connection, and seeing tattooed people walk around the water park would make some of the customers nervous.

With more and more young Japanese people getting tattoos that are totally unrelated to Yakuza activities, Japan is seeing a slight change in the no-tattoo policies. A small minority of water parks do allow tattooed patrons, but they require that all tattoos be fully covered while in the park. That’s not always an easy task. Long sleeved shirts and long pants make little sense at a water park on a hot day.

In America, the attitude and perception of tattoos has changed greatly in the past twenty years. Japan is sure to eventually follow suit as the association between tattoos and Yakuza activity becomes diluted. Until then, tattooed people in Japan will have to deal with their society’s outdated perceptions of body art and the restrictions that come with it.

A few months ago, Inked Talk reported on the dangers of an allergic reaction to an additive often used to darken the henna used in henna temporary tattoos.

A story in today’s DailyIndia.com reports a young boy’s severe allergic reaction to a henna tattoo. His reaction sounds particularly severe - it required four trips to the hospital and he missed a month of school. The article categorizes it as a “botched” henna tattoo. However, the symptoms described sound much more like a severe allergic reaction.

Worldwide, henna tattoo artists continue to use PPD as an additive in henna to darken the henna and create a black tattoo. With more and more reports of allergic reactions to henna tattoos, it is amazing that little is being done to regulate the practice.

Writer Dan Kline’s July 8, 2008 column discusses what he feels is the overuse of the American flag on everyday products - clothing, bandanas, and of course tattoos. While he acknowledges that the patriotic intentions may be benevolent, the use of the American Flag on anything but a flag is inappropriate and perhaps even disrespectful. From his article:

I hardly think tattoos, bikinis, bandannas and the like actually show respect for what the flag stands for. If you respect the flag as a symbol representative of all that we love about America, than fly it properly, salute it when you walk by and think regularly of the men and women who died for your freedom.

I have to disagree with Mr. Kline’s assessment of the American Flag tattoo, for a number of reasons.

For many of our men and women in the armed forces, a tattoo is a rite of passage, a symbol of their time and experiences serving this country. What better emblem for such a tattoo than the American flag - the symbolic embodiment of the very freedoms that they serve to protect? I’m not about to tell a Marine that his American Flag tattoo isn’t an appropriate tribute to his nation.

September 11, 2001 had a huge impact on all Americans, and it inspired great patriotism among our citizens. Some people chose to get patriotic tattoos to memorialize the day. I certainly wouldn’t call those permanent reminders of a day that has been burned into our collective memories an inappropriate use of the flag. And I’m certainly not going to lump those beautiful tributes in with the “American Flag Underwear” the author jokes about in his article.

I think the author makes the mistake of thinking that a tattoo is just a fashion accessory, like the bandanas and swimsuits that he references in his column. Perhaps that is true for some people, but many more choose their tattoos because they represent something significant to them. And to many, the flag is those most significant symbol in their lives.

Readers, what are your thoughts?

While Inked Talk doesn’t usually delve into the shiny, glittery land of temporary tattoos, a new product called the Eyedentity Label is attracting some interest among parents of young children. The Eyedentity Label is essentially a temporary tattoo customized with parental contact information. The label provides the child’s name, the parent’s telephone number, important allergy or medical information, and the Eyedentity Logo for easy recognition.

Eyedentity’s website suggests using the Eyedentity Label for Consider Eyedentity Label for airport travel, trips to theme parks, malls, sporting events, school field trips, and vacation travel.

The Eyedentity Label, of course, isn’t really a tattoo issue (although perhaps these temporary tattoos are the gateway for future ink), but it was a neat concept, so Inked Talk had to spread the word.

Maxim Magazine and Pontiac have teamed up with Kat von D for a “tattooed” Pontiac Vibe giveaway contest.

What a strange partnership. Pontiacs, particularly Vibes, don’t strike me as being particularly interesting or edgy, even if they are drawn on like the one in the contest.

No purchase is necessary for the contest, and you can opt out of future spamming as well, so give it a click. If you aren’t interested in the Vibe, well, good for you, but you can check out some Kat von D videos on the contest site as well. Worth a look.

Earthly Body is a company promoting hemp-based skin care, including a new line of tattoo aftercare products. When they were kind enough to send me some samples, I was admittedly skeptical. Earthly Body’s products are free of a lot of the bad stuff that makes other tattoo aftercare products work, so I seriously doubted that a petroleum free, lanolin-free, vegan, paraben-free, cruelty-free product could really be effective. When it comes to tattoo aftercare, I am a firm believer in A&D cream. Nevertheless, I waited until I got a new tattoo so I could try out Earthly Body’s healing products and report my findings to my readers at Inked Talk.

Earthly Body suggests a two-step process for tattoo healing. The first step is their “Tattoo Tonic Miracle Oil.” This fresh-scented oil is applied with an eyedropper to the fresh tattoo until it heals. The oil itself is smooth, and it immediately softens the skin. The tattoo I used the Miracle Oil on is a large, colorful piece on my calf. I’ve had problems with tattoos healing on my leg before, so I thought this piece would be a good test.

The tattoo healed very differently than any other tattoo that I have had. I have very dry skin so my tattoos tend to get very dry and flaky no matter how much A&D lotion I apply. This tattoo experienced very little of the dry, uncomfortable flakiness that I had dealt with for every other tattoo. The tattoo healed smoothly, cleanly, and very quickly. The Miracle Oil is available on Earthly Body’s website for $11.00. I used only a small portion of my bottle on my tattoo, so your $11.00 goes a long way.

Step Two of Earthly Body’s tattoo aftercare plan includes using their Miracle Lotion after the tattoo begins to heal. The lotion keeps the skin moist and is said to prevent fading. In my experience, the lotion worked at least as good as A&D cream. The Miracle Lotion is also available for $11.00 on the Earthly Body website.

So what is my verdict, my overall opinion? I am glad to have tried Earthly Body’s products, and I will continue to use the Tattoo Miracle Oil on future tattoos as I am quite pleased with the healing result.

Thanks to Earthly Body for giving me the opportunity to try out their great products!

For more information, visit Earthly Body’s website!

Earlier this week Inked Talk featured an interview with Greg Foster of Custom Tattoo in Milwaukee, Wisconsin regarding his approach to tattoo cover up work. If you missed that interview, you can see it here. Today we continue talking to artists about their approaches to cover-up tattoo work with an interview with Studio of The Shop Tat2’s & Body Adornments in Darien, Wisconsin.

Tattooing began as a hobby eight years ago for Studio (whose real name is Tony), and in his years of experience he estimates that he has done cover up work on over a thousand tattoos. He sees cover-ups as both a challenge and a test of his own abilities as an artist.

Inked Talk: What special challenges do cover-ups present to you as an artist?

Studio: The challenge is to make the old tattoo disappear and that’s why I love doing them. I approach them a little differently because not just any design will work as a cover-up, and every cover-up is different. You have to work with the client and come up with something that they’ll want to use as a design. Many cover-ups take more than one sitting to complete, and not all colors will work for cover-ups.

I like to use purples and greens, some blues and a little red sometimes for my cover-ups. I like to use the darker pigments for the cover-up and use brighter pigments away from the darker ones to take peoples’ eyes off the darker and make them focus on the brighter pigments. The object of a cover-up is to make the tattoo disappear and by doing that you use a bigger image to distract the old tattoo that you are covering-up - make the people looking at the new tattoo look away from the old image that’s not there anymore.

IT: In your experience, are most cover up requests simply to cover bad or poorly aged work? Or do you get a lot of ex-girlfriend names or gang symbol type cover ups too?

Studio: A combination of all of them, but lately I’ve been covering-up bad tattoos and ex-boyfriend’s / ex-girlfriend’s names. Next week I have a cover-up to do of both: It is a heart with a guy’s ex-wife’s name in it. He wants me use a set of praying hands (to cover it up) so that will be a fun one.

A Name Tattoo “Before:”

A Flower “After:”

IT: What is the most memorable or significant cover up that you have done?

Studio: It’s actually one that I’m in the process of working on right now. It is on one of my artist’s legs. He’s got a bunch of crap tattoos and I’ve been working on the cover-up for the past few months now - it is a whole lower leg sleeve/sock. The whole thing is probably going to take in the area of fifty to sixty hours to complete, and its probably the hardest tattoos that I’ve had to cover-up. It is definitely challenging my ability, but I’m always down for a challenge. That’s why I love cover-ups.

Great band, but not the wisest word for a tattoo:

A much better choice:

It was a pleasure to talk with both artists who contributed to this week’s Inked Talk special on cover up tattoos. Thanks Studio, and thanks again Greg!

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Wine Outlook

There was a bulletin floating around the Myspace tattoo community today entitled “Get Tattooed for the Good of Your Country.” I clicked on it, assuming that some tattoo shop was running a special on patriotic tattoos, which in my opinion would have been pretty awesome and worthy of reposting. What I read instead had nothing to do with a tattoo sale, but it still brought me a smile, and so I wanted to share it here on Inked Talk.

The bulletin was referring to the Economic Stimulus checks that are beginning to appear in the bank accounts of certain taxpayers this week. Those who qualify may receive up to $600.00 for the purpose of giving this sluggish economy a bit of a jolt by freeing up consumer finances and hopefully inspire a bit of spending. I’m no economist, but I think that sounds a little optimistic. On the other hand, I may get some “free money” out of it, so who am I to complain?

The bulletin was encouraging people to use their economic stimulus checks on new ink. As the bulletin said:

“We say GO GET TATTOOED! and support a business that really deserves it. Save our economy, support your tattoo artist, get a lifetime of ink for one check, and be a true American all at the same time.”

Again, I’m no economist or mathematician, so if a tattoo is the best use of an economic stimulus payment, I can’t say.

But it is a fine idea to go ahead and spend some cash on getting some good ink from a good artist?

Of course it is. It is certainly a much better plan than buying some more stuff you don’t really need from Wal Mart.

If you don’t already have plans for that stimulus payment, maybe you can set some aside and get yourself some new ink, courtesy of the federal government.

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Talking NFL

…that it deserves its very own article.

There was an link to an incredible Spider Man tattoo on Fark.com last week, and I wanted to research the artist who created it.

It didn’t take long to trace this piece to Dan Hazelton of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His website gives a little insight into Hazelton’s work. The site itself is unpretentious, but the work on it speaks for itself. The website features gallery after gallery of incredible tattoos, beautiful airbrush work, incredible artwork and unique flash. Hazelton’s strength in tattooing clearly lies in his ability to make an image come to life with three-dimensional realism.

His work is impressive. The galleries on his website are definitely worth a look.

Not all tattoos turn out quite you how expect, and many just don’t stand the test of time. Sometimes an idea that sounds magnificent in your head looks terrible in ink. And while the mooning Tasmanian Devil may have been the coolest tattoo in the world when you were eighteen, you may feel less love for ol’ Taz at age thirty. Even though laser tattoo removal is becoming more affordable, the cover up is still the preferred method to forget about unwanted ink.

Cover-ups are usually needed on people who made a quick, spontaneous decision with little thought.

- Greg Foster, Custom Tattoo, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Tattoo artists see a lot of bad tattoos, and consequently they get a lot of requests to do cover up work. This week, Inked Talk spoke to two artists about the challenges involved with doing cover ups. In Part One of this feature, we will talk to Greg Foster of Custom Tattoo in Milwaukee, Wisconsin about his experience on cover up tattoos. Part Two will feature an interview with Studio of Darien, Wisconsin.

As a professional tattoo artist since 1996, Greg Foster has had extensive experience in cover-up work. He estimates that about one in every twenty customers that he sees is there for cover-up work.

Inked Talk: In your experience, what kind of work is most likely to become a future cover-up or regret?

Greg Foster: Cover-ups are usually needed on people who made a quick, spontaneous decision with little thought. You know, the walk-in client who says “I want a tattoo… I don’t know what I want, but I’ve got an hour.”

IT: As an artist, do you step in and redirect a customer who is set on a tattoo idea that you feel is going to be a future regret?

GF: I feel it’s my responsibility as an artist to steer them in the right direction, so yes, I do try to talk people out of a bad idea or improve it so they won’t regret the tattoo. I always try to schedule consultations with people so we can discuss their ideas. If something is obviously problematic, I will not hesitate to tell them it won’t work or it’s not a good idea, but I’ll also give them alternatives. The challenge is when someone clings to an idea of what they want and you know it’s a bad idea. Sometimes, it’s a sentimental attachment, too. This happens all the time with names of significant others or a drawing that the client drew up (and if the composition sucks, you don’t want to offend them, but you don’t want to give them a bad tattoo either). With names, I try to convince people not to get them on their neck or hands, because it’s a very visible area and you can’t do a whole lot with a cover-up in those areas, if they’re not willing to go much larger, which is typical.

One of Greg’s cover-up pieces. Before:

And after:

IT: Cover up work is clearly different from an original tattoo. What considerations do you have to take into account when doing a cover up? To what extent does the color and size of the tattoo play a role in what you can and can’t do for a cover up? What about the age of the tattoo being covered up - does that make a difference?

GF: You have to consider the size of the original tattoo, the colors used, whether or not there’s a lot of black in it, and the placement of the tattoo. Sometimes, there’s other tattoos near the one getting covered up that you have to work around too, and that can be difficult. If it’s a lightly colored or very faded tattoo, it’s easier to cover up, because a lot of colors will go over an old, faded or washed-out piece.

If the tattoo has a lot of black or dark colors, I usually suggest white-out sessions. This is basically applying several applications of white ink over the course of several sessions on top of the old tattoo. It works similar to a primer coat of paint. However, you can’t eliminate the original color, but it will lighten it to allow the new colors to go over it. The tattoo with the tiger coming out of the fish is an example of the white-out process. It’s a little more costly, but the best solution for dark-colored tattoos.

Covering up a darker piece:

IT: What is the most extensive or challenging cover up you have done?

GF: Probably on a friend of mine who needed extensive cover-up work on his arm. He had several small-to-medium sized tattoos all over his arm, scattered about. So we decided to cover them up with a full-sleeve with Egyptian scenery and subjects. It turned out great and I surprised myself. He’s very happy with the work (as am I) and it looks much better, because it looks intentional and there’s very little trace of the original tattoos. If it’s difficult to find the original tattoo, that’s when I know I’ve done a good cover-up.

Greg Foster tattoos at Custom Tattoo, located at 1956 N. Farwell Avenue, Milwaukee Wisconsin.
You can see more of his work at the Custom Tattoo website and the Custom Tattoo MySpace page.

Thanks for the great interview, Greg. Amazing work!

Please check back with Inkedtalk.com later this week when we see another artist’s take on cover up work.

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Home Biz Chat

Anyone who has ever suffered from a contact allergy knows the agony that comes with touching a nasty allergen: imagine a bad case of poison ivy, or the chicken pox, or an ugly weeping rash. Contact allergies can come from all kinds of things - certain chemicals, metals and even types of plant matter. Contact allergy symptoms begin to slow once the allergen is no longer in contact with the skin. But what happens if the allergen cannot be removed from the skin? Is it possible to be allergic to a tattoo?

The good news is that the most common allergic reaction resulting from tattooing is not related at all to the tattoo ink. Latex allergies are a common allergy, and the latex gloves used by a tattoo artist can cause a reaction in those with latex-sensitive skin. If you have a latex allergy - even if your allergy is very slight - it is a good idea to let your tattoo artist know ahead of time so that an alternative can be found. You will already be taxing your skin by getting it inked, and there is no need to compound the irritation by coupling it with a latex reaction. The prevalence of latex allergies has made non-latex gloves easy to find an inexpensive.

Another less common tattoo-related allergy is an allergy to the lotions or creams used to promote healing of the finished tattoo. A&D Ointment is a favorite among many tattoo enthusiasts to promote healing of a new tattoo, but some A&D lotions contain cod liver oil as a main ingredient. Fish and fish oil related allergies are not uncommon, and placing A&D on already irritated skin can be a bad if not downright dangerous idea if you have a fish allergy. If you are unsure about a fish allergy, there are many, many alternatives to A&D and other cod liver oil based lotions. Ask your tattoo artist what he or she recommends.

As for the tattoo ink itself, red ink seems to be the most common cause of allergic reactions, although some accounts of allergic reactions to yellow inks have been reported.

Photos of red ink allergy, as presented by Nicholas White MRCS and Gulraiz Rauf FRCS in a letter to the British Journal of Plastic Surgery:

Sadly, the options for someone with a tattoo ink allergy are limited. The tattoo can be removed, or the sufferer can simply “put up with it” and treat the affected area with lotions and creams to ease the discomfort. If you have concerns about how ink will react to your skin, talk to your tattoo artist about the ingredients in the ink he or she uses. There are a lot of broad statements on the Internet about tattoo ink but the truth is that every person is different and different tattoo artists use different inks with different ingredients. No standard answer on the Internet will be appropriate for all cases, no matter what Yahoo Answers says.

Ask questions first, and go directly to the source - the person who will be doing your tattoo - for the answers. If you still don’t feel comfortable with the possibility of an allergic reaction, then don’t get the tattoo. Simple as that.

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The Book Stacks

Salvador Dali, the famous Spanish surrealist painter, is an artist that most recognize by name. Those who don’t know Dali are easily prompted with the reminder that he’s the “melted clocks painter.” Everyone knows the melted clocks (Or, “The Persistence of Memory,” should the question arise on Trivial Pursuit). What does Spanish surrealism have to do with tattoos?

After seeing a lovely rendition of Van Gogh’s Starry Night as a full back tattoo, I have been fascinated by famous works of art as subjects for tattoos. For that reason, I began to do an informal survey of tattoo galleries searching for which famous artists’ works seem to be the most prevalent subjects of tattoos.

In perusing websites with extensive tattoo galleries, it seemed to me that Salvador Dali-inspired ink was far, far more common than Van Gogh, Picasso, and other artists whose works have found their way onto flesh. Why is that?

What is it about Dali that inspires people to carry his work on their skin permanently? His paintings aren’t “pretty” in any sort of traditional sense. Many are nightmarish perceptions - strange, twisted takes on reality. Some suggest suffering, and they present something frightening, unsettling and uncomfortable.

Perhaps that statement explains exactly what the attraction to Dali is for some tattoo enthusiasts. Tattoos aren’t associated with traditional beauty. although it certainly isn’t hard to see the beauty in tattoos and tattooed people. The self-infliction of pain goes against the most basic human instincts, but we do it anyway for the sake of a good tattoo or a well-placed piercing. To many, the sight of a heavily-modified person, be it tattoos, piercings or other mods, stirs a reaction of fascination and horror. A cross between “Look at that!” and “Why would she do that to herself?”

Maybe Dali makes a whole lot of sense for a tattoo.

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Mom’s Soap Box

Last week Inked Talk brought you an article about James Burns, a man who was selling the rights to tattoo an advertisement on his head.

The premise was simple enough, as the eBay auction explained:

My name is James. I am a married father of 4 who has a full time job, but needs some extra cash. I am selling advertising space on my skin. I will get your logo, website, whatever (nothing vulgar) tattooed on the back of my head or on my neck - your choice. If you choose my head, I will keep it shaved for 1 year to maintain visibility.

Burns’ wife contacted Inked Talk and commented on the article, and this week Burns himself agreed to speak about his experience selling ad space on his head on eBay.

Inked Talk: How did the auction ultimately end up?

James Burns: It ended with one bid - $99.99.

As of the writing of this article, the eBay auction can still be viewed here. However, eBay does remove listings after a few months.

IT: The Charleston Daily Mail article said your wife was supportive of the idea. What did your kids think about it?

JB: The kids think that it’s neat that I was on TV, but as far as the tattoo goes, they didn’t even bat an eyelash at it. Tattoos are such a normal part of our lives.

As the Charleston Daily Mail article and photo showed, Burns is no stranger to tattoos.

IT: Your restrictions said “no profanity” would be allowed in the tattoo. What about political statements? Would you refuse a “Vote so-and-so” tattoo if you were politically opposed to it?

JB: A political tattoo is so not my style. I would have to refuse that one, as I see politicians as profane.

IT: If you could choose the ideal advertising candidate for your head, who would it be? What would the ad say?

JB: If I could choose…hmm. I would want the ad to say “GAS PRICES SUCK!!” Signed, “We the People.”

Well said. Burns’ motivation for selling ad space on his head was in part due to the rising price of gas: I work 60 plus hours a week, so a second job is pretty much out of the question. I have tried to
get weekend odd jobs, but to no success. I figured this might help, Burns told Inked Talk.

IT: Did you have any negative reactions to your eBay auction?

JB: My mom wasn’t too thrilled about the idea of it, but she came around. She realized that I am willing to do whatever it takes (within legal boundaries) to achieve my goals.

IT: Do you have plans to continue to offer your head as advertising space?

JB: No, I think I have learned my lesson.

You can visit James Burns’ Myspace page and read more about his experiences there. He has information there about his Paypal account in case anyone would like to help out him and his family.

Speaking on behalf of Inked Talk, let me say that you have some serious, serious guts to do what you did for your family, and that is something to be admired. I hope that someone out there can help your family out.