Tattoo Artists Share The Saddest Request They've Ever Received
Are you absolutely sure?

The tattoo industry has become a billion dollar enterprise. A form of artistic expression that was once considered grotesque is now highly regarded as beauty and a form of healing for many. People have found a way to tell their stories through ink on flesh. And tattoo artists have become a sort of therapist and a witness for those who need to bare their souls about life's truths and turmoils. Sadly.... once and awhile the story is less than happy.
Redditor u/Emmafayee wanted those who ink others to share about some of the times they've been taken aback by what clients wanted to do with their bodies and why, by asking...Tattoo artist of reddit, what's the most beautiful/saddest Request you've ever gotten or one that has stood out??
The Next Chapter Mark
Tattooist here!
Its always rewarding being able to commemorate the end of trauma in someones life. To have someone trust you to help them close important chapters in their life is just so incredibly humbling.
The one client that really stands out to me is my cousin.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer a while back. She ended up beating it, but it was a hard journey for her.
Every year she celebrates the date she was officially declared cancer free. At the end of my apprenticeship, she flew out from Cali to Florida to have me do her one and only tattoo for her- the ribbon with her new birthdate.
My whole family doesn't really care for tattoos, so the support and trust from her solidified my dedication to this industry.
Feet ID
I tattooed a pig and rooster on a young couple's feet (he got the rooster, she got the pig). Traditionally, sailors would get these designs tattooed as a superstitious way to keep from drowning.
A few months later, he contacted me to let me know that a while after they got the tattoos, they broke up. She then took her own life.
He came back to me to get the pig tattooed on his other foot to match. It was a heavy day, for sure.
The Blue Dragonfly
My oldest ever client. She was 76, and had just received a bad diagnosis, so had come in with her son to cross off "get a tattoo" from her bucket list. She wanted a blue dragonfly on her collarbone, but couldn't stand upright and steady for long, so, with the help of her son, I had to lay her down on the bed to apply the stencil. Wherever possible you should always apply a stencil with a client standing naturally, so that the design isn't distorted when gravity shifts their body. She laughed hysterically when she stood up to check the stencil placement and it shifted from her shoulder and disappeared into her cleavage.
We had a great time during the tattoo, the three of us laughed and joked; she had a great sense of humor and was really positive despite her grim diagnosis.
Two and a half years later, she returned to the tattoo shop, now 78. Far less energetic this time, she asked me to add her sons name beneath the blue dragonfly. He had suddenly fallen sick and passed away before her.
Broken
I was an apprentice and I sold custom drawings at the same time. I once had a woman who wanted a rainbow heart that looked like shattered glass. She then explained me that it was in memory of her daughter, who died from a car crash. The day of her death, she came out to her mom as a lesbian, her mom didn't react well and the daughter went for a drive to vent a little. That drive is the one who killed her. I could tell through the mails how devastated her mom was, and how guilty she felt. It really broke my heart.
Story in the Letters
My brother passed a little over 10 years ago and one of his best friends is a tattoo artist. He used to be in the military and would write letters to us so we were able to get one of his favorite sayings in his own handwriting from piecing it all together. I also had him mix his ashes in with the ink. My brothers buddy broke down immediately when I opened the urn I have for him, needless to say he had to take a little break before he started.
St. George....
Not me, but my artist: a guy came in his shop and asks for a St. George killing the dragon tat, my artist did the job and that was it. Like a month after a girl came in the shop and she asked too for the same design, and my artist said something like "oh good I have done the same picture like a month ago, so I'm still fresh and can do a really good job", and as soon as he finish the sentence, the girl started crying really really bad. The guy was her brother that committed suicide one week before, and she wanted the tat for legacy. He did the job pro bono.
Full Body
Not a tattoo artist, just heavily tattooed, one of my artist friends told me a story about a guy who came in that'd lost his first born at 6 years old to childhood lymphoma. The guy wanted to have a full body suit done of all the kids drawings, the drawings were terrible but he never wanted to forget them.
M.I.A.
I managed a tattoo shop and we were about to close when a group of 6 well dressed people came in. I asked if they came from a wedding. Complete opposite, they were coming from a funeral.
All 8 of them got a paper plane tattoo. Most people this was their first tattoo. They kept getting call and 8 more people came totaling almost 16 people getting tatted plus guests hanging out.
I had to ask artists to work over time and stay back but they all wanted to help this family and group of friends go through this tough time.
For privacy I won't mention how the person they were paying tribute passed but the reason they got paper planes is because she looked exactly like M.I.A apparently and paper planes was their inside joke with her.
We let them take over the music for the shop and blast that song as loud as possible and to see sad broken people smiling and dancing and celebrating this persons life touched me.
"I love you"
I've been diagnosed with Leukemia since last year. I can't get a tattoo quite yet, but when I can I want to get a voice wave of my mom saying "I love you" tattooed where the central line used to be in my arm.
Edit: thank you all for the kind words! I'm currently in remission and if I find out if I'm still in remission next week!
Super....
My tattoo artist got asked to tattoo a kid (11years old) that has maybe 3 months left to live to tattoo the superman logo on his chest. He had to refuse because he is no medical tattooist. But he told them to paint his chest everytime he comes here for free. He is such a cool guy. He was invited to his funeral and tattooed some fake skin (don't know what he meant with that) and they put this in his casket.
Awesome but very sad.
The Memorial
My husband has a tattoo for his pervious fiancé who died of cancer at only 39 yrs old. It's a woman going up a staircase and a clock at the time she died. I always thought it was a really sad, but touching memorial.
And kudos to you for seeing it for what it is.... <3
A Sunflower
My tattoo artist once tattooed a sunflower on a man who lost his daughter from suicide. Apparently she was in a mentally abusive relationship. The ex drove her mad spiraling into depression and eventually she committed suicide. The last note, she wrote about being sorry as she would definitely disappoint her dad.
They were close. During the relationship however, the father was working abroad.
The sunflower on his side symbolizes the daughter will always be with him as he was one of the primary source for her happiness. You know how sunflowers always grow facing the sun? Yeah, that. A heartbreaking tale of a man wishing he could have done more, like maybe put his feet down and break the abusive cycle she was in.
Don't know what happen to the ex. I hope that scumbag has permanent Hemorrhoid.
The Last Talk
My best friend died a few years ago in a car accident. The very last conversation we ever had was a phone conversation of him telling me about his new tattoo. Obviously, he never got to show it to me, but his mom sent me a picture of it a few months later.
With her permission, I went and got the same tattoo a year and a half after his death.
The kicker is, I lived a couple hours away from the artist who did my friend's tattoo, so I went to her. It was so healing to get to talk to someone who had seen him, and now I have a great tattoo with a great story.
Name Me
A woman came straight from her father's funeral with his final will and testament and had me put his signature on her arm. She could hardly make out the words and we both cried the entire time. It was such a deep experience I couldn't charge her.
Together Again....
Simple but beautiful story.
Elderly man came in to the tattoo shop for his first tattoo. He wanted his wife's name. While drawing it up for him - he explained his wife of 45 years had just passed away a month ago. He told me she never wanted him to have a tattoo but he was in the service and always wanted one - of her name - but he never got it because she wouldn't let him.
He says "I don't mean to be ornery or disrespect her wishes, I just need a piece of her with me until we're together again."
EDIT: Wow - was tattooing and didn't expect this simple comment to blow up. Thank you, kind redditors - y'all have made my heart happy today. Special thanks for the award!
Emily Rose
I'm answering for my brother. He's a talented tattoo artist with his own shop in Colorado.
When my first child was born (at 23 weeks super preemie), he was 13. He drew a gorgeous name tag for her incubator in the NICU based on her name: Emily Rose.
She passed away from pneumonia when she was 3 years old. Years later my brother gave me a tattoo of a reimagining of that name sign. All free hand and it is gorgeous.
His art welcomed his niece into the world and his art celebrated her life when she left it.
Thank You Wolfgang
Not a tattoo artist - I have two floral and wildlife themed sleeves that cover 10 years of self harm scars. Many artists refused to tattoo over my scars and then I met Wolfgang - the nicest, coolest artist around. He does beautiful work and I now get compliments on my arms instead of stares or awkward questions. I never wore short sleeves in front of anyone before I got my first piece done. His work has given me a confidence that I wouldn't have had otherwise. Tattoos are cool, and Wolfgang is brilliant.
Invincible....
one of my favorite co-workers had medical problems as a young child & ended up adopting a cat sharing the same problems (I don't remember the name, sorry, but it was heart related). The cat grew up with her & died about 2 years ago, so she got a cat chasing a bell (their favorite toy) with a heart to the side saying "you can't stop me". It made me very sad, & it was a very pretty tattoo.
Making the Connection
A young woman came in wanting a belly button tattoo. When I asked what she wanted in her belly button she said, "I don't have a belly button, I want you to tattoo one on me." She was born with malfunctioning organs and as a newborn the doctors had cut her open from sternum to tailbone in order to remove said organs and then stitched her back up leaving two small holes in her side for waste. She was perfectly sealed up apart from those two holes.
After I had tattooed a dainty little grey and pink navel she got up to have a look, tears welled in her eyes and then she did a little dance as she squeaked, "I've never felt closer to my mother!"
The shop got a little dustier that day. That was just about the best feeling I've ever had after completing a tattoo.
Brainstorming
One of my closest friends was killed by a drunk driver in a head on collision (she was only 23) and when I expressed to my artist a couple months after the accident that I wanted to get a piece done for her, he immediately began to help me brainstorm ideas. I am so grateful to have this guy in my life, he is incredibly talented but so humble. Which is why I'm writing this comment, someone's gotta represent for him.
This was the result:
My friend & I first met at a summer camp, boy did she love that place. For two summers I was unable to attend due to college sports and so she wrote me letters to keep me updated on the camp events. (For context, I have been attending this camp since 2004 when I was in 4th grade, and the same people tend to go every summer, so in a sense it is like a second family/home to me).
My amazing tattoo artist used one of these old notes & took letters and words out to form lines from my friend's favorite camp song in her exact handwriting (like seriously it is indistinguishable from her writing on paper), which I now have tattooed under my heart on my ribs.
The lines are:
For I only have a moment, and a whole world yet to see.....
Earmarks
I have a tattoo of a question mark behind my ear. My friend Buh had the same tattoo when I met her and I used to think it was so cool!
I was 16 at the time when she committed suicide, it was the first death I had experienced, hers was the first funeral I ever went to. The effect it had on me is something that I still remember 7 years later.
Last year I got the same tattoo in the same place in memory of her, my most sentimental tattoo and also one of my favorites.
Rest in peace Buh, you had more of an effect on this world than you could ever know.
Handprints
Ohh man. I figure this will get buried but here we go....
They weren't my clients but one day a couple comes in to get a handprint tattoo. They show us the handprint and the artist is like, dang that looks pretty muddled, is it possible to get another version? Nope. Not possible. It's their baby's handprint, and it was taken post-mortem. It's the only physical reminder they have of their child who only lived a few hours.
Working by a children's hospital was rough.
"Cheeky"
Ex gf is a tattoo artist. She came home WAY late from work one night...
2 British dudes, drunk off there butts, came into the shop a few minutes before the shop was going to close. They wanted to get tattoo'd right then, right there. My ex, she wasn't really having it, until they explained the situation. They were in the states, doing a cross country road trip that they had been planning for years. There was another buddy that was going to be with them, but he passed away a few months beforehand.
So they wanted to get a poorly done tattoo of his face (because all of the dead buddies tattoos were REALLY bad) on each of there "arse cheeks". So when they went to all these places that they had planned to see, they could show him.
Well, the ex popped open some whiskey, threw on some metal, and started getting to it. The dudes were apparently utterly hilarious and had everyone in tears from laughter the entire time. One of the tattoos she's most proud of, but the fact that it's so poorly done on purpose, she can't really have it in her book.
Hey Sailor
Client, not an artist. I am totally blind and I am a big fan of Sailor Moon; more specifically Sailor Jupiter, the Senshi of courage and strength. I got a tattoo of Jupiter on my arm with the word COURAGE under it, but what made it special is that the artist was able to make it raised up on purpose, so I can clearly feel the design of Jupiter and the word she represents. When I am feeling low, I can trace the word COURAGE on my arm and feel Jupiter's confidence resonate with me. I think it has helped save my life at least once.
EDIT: Including a pic of the tattoo, taken when I was at International Sailor Moon Day in 2017. https://i.imgur.com/VgiH8cB.jpg
the meaning of loss....
Not an artist. got my first tattoo, a simple heart on my wrist. Missed a couple dozen calls from my mom during the session - my dad had a heart attack and passed away. That tattoo took on a whole new meaning.
Ugh, my heart breaks for you reading this. I can't imagine that pain. I'm sorry for your loss, and I hope your life goes better. And you or anyone who needs some kindness from a stranger, feel free to reach out to me.
Post Surgery
My partner Pro Bono's tattooed nipples on women's reconstructed breasts.
She is a cosmetic tattooist and post operative breast cancer patients are referred to her.
They often cry when they see themselves after the procedure, they say they it is feeling whole again after so much trauma.
Luna Freedom
I once tattooed a Luna Moth on a cancer survivor. As he walked towards the mirror and saw the finished product, he started crying knowing that his nightmares were finally over and that the moth was a representation of himself fully free from cancer. It was hard to not cry watching this.
Canine Family
My father in law had ashes from his dog put into the ink of his memorial tattoo. The artist is a member of the family so they were able to accommodate his request.
The + Sign
I tattooed a plus sign on a couple. The air was heavy but it wasn't my place to ask why. Once we put the stencils on, they opened up.
They had just miscarried. She told me they were excited to bring life into this world, together. And their favorite moment of joy was when she took the pregnancy test and they waited together... for their overwhelmingly positive response: for the plus sign.
For Him
When my little brother died I asked my tattoo artist for a memorial tattoo for him - a calico cat (me) and an angelic corgi (him, corgis were his favorite thing in the entire world) playing around an anchor (he was in the navy for years). It was personal to me and he did a lovely job. We both cried when he finished and I was checking it out in the mirror, and he gave me a really big hug.
Edit: For people asking for a picture... honestly I've put on some weight since I got the tat (grief + quarantine + bad hip) and it's gone blurry, plus it's hard for me to get a good close up due to the fact that the tat is on my bad leg and it's difficult to bend over. So here's a pic but it's not a very good one. I promise it looks better in real life. I also included a bonus cat head.
Angel Gabriel
Not a tattoo artist but my father in law was tragically taken from us. He was run over by a speeding motorcycle. Our family was torn apart, the crap responsible was wealthy, well connected and didn't even get a ticket/suspended license/asked to take a defensive course. Never acknowledged/apologized. My father in law was an amazing and somewhat known artist. While going through his studio we found a sketch of the Angel Gabriel, our son's name. My wife now has that exact sketch fit scale on her back. It is a beautiful homage and allows us to keep his memory with us. My mother in law is spending the weekend with us they raised their families and this was supposed to be their time together. Screw people who walk through the world that way.
Please slow down everyone and enjoy the times you have with your loved ones.
Matching Marks
My best friend is a tattoo artist and a client walked in. He asked for a tattoo of his daughter's scar in the same area so his daughter won't be self conscious about it.
Through out the appointment, he talked about his daughter and how proud he was of her.
102.....
I made my tattoo artist cry. Twice. I'd been in for a couple with them after my regular guy retired. I went in and asked for patch from 102 dalmatians with his paws up in the words 'you can beat this'. He asked why so I told him I'd spoken to an oncologist. I had leukemia. I'd bruise really easy so to cheer up my daughter I'd put my hair in pigtails and say i felt like being a Dalmatian today. I told him I'd be back when I went into remission to get the 'you can beat this' crossed out and 'see!' put underneath. I booked it last week and set him off for the second time!
Tramp Stamp
Apprentice here so didn't have much time to gather stories yet, but the client we had that had the most insane stories and basically ended up talking until we closed, was this 80yr old lady who came to us to have her tramp stamp retouched. Her husband gave it to her a week after they met, being drunk off their butts. Then she just continued to tell us all kinds of dumb fool they did while being drunk or on all possible drugs, ending up with 3 other spirals and butterflies added to the stamp, she doesn't remember how she got. But since she's so old, it started fading and now u can barely see it, so she wanted it retouched as to "keep the memory of those years alive and colorful as they were."
Oh and the really sweet one of this guy who came to us after he got out of prison, (before I was an apprentice) started talking about how he had no idea how to get the woman he loves back, while getting a tattoo of the bar sign from the bar where they met. He came by the shop with the woman (now his wife) and their kid, a year and a half after the tattoo, so that the woman could get the same tattoo from the same artist who tattooed him, because he apparently gave him the balls to go get her back.
Thank you Mr. B....
Back in 1999 I was taking courses at the local community college in a small city (50k people) and I chose to get the 2-yr degree in Communications/Media Arts and the head of the department was a really cool guy who taught a few of the classes and he had a tattoo going all around his wrist of flames that went up his arm maybe six inches and one day a student in my class asked him about it and it turns out he had a teenage son who died in a car crash and that was the tattoo his son was planning on getting so he went ahead and got it on his wrist to honor his son. No one expected that answer at all so it got really quiet in the classroom.
He's retired now but we still keep in touch as he was the reason I got my first job as a news cameraman because he told the news director at a local TV station that I got an internship at that I was a good student and had a good eye so the news director offered me a part-time gig shooting on the weekends and I ended up being a cameraman for 14 years between that station and one other one in another state. I always think of him and that tattoo as it endeared him to me and the other students as someone we could always go to when we needed help/advice beyond the classroom and he always treated us like we were his adopted kids. Thank you Mr. B....
A Mural
A local tattoo artist had a severe burn victim as a client. The client's leg was scarred and disfigured from the burns.
The artist did a whole mural on this guy's leg and it was beautiful. Couldn't even tell that the guy's leg was ever burned. Restored all esteem and confidence in the client and made the artist happy.
Red Balloons....
My sister is an artist she had a client she really liked did some good portraiture work on, the client was out at dinner one night when she suddenly got a headache, and died on the spot from a brain aneurysm leaving behind her young son. My sister did a charity event to raise money for her family and tattooed dozens of red balloons in her memory. I'm still really proud of her for doing that
Edit: holy crap guys wow. Just wanted to say: if you're having the worst skull-splitting headache of your life, do not hesitate, call 911. It's slim, but you do have a chance if you know what to do.
The Eyes
My SIL got a tattoo of an owl and had my brother's ashes mixed with ink for the owl's eyes. My brother had very vibrant and striking blue eyes, and the owl has the same shade of blue eyes.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO......
Not an artist, but I have several tattoos. The one that means the most to me, is three X's on my ankle.
When I did my driving tests, I failed a few times due to failure anxiety. One day my father decided to write me a note, telling me he believed in me, that I shouldn't let it get to my head and that I should look at it as if it was a driving lesson, not a test. He'd be in a meeting afterwards, so I should text him my results. He closed the letter with three kisses (XXX).
Now I'm highly superstitious, so I put that note in my pocket and went on to my driving test. And I passed. From that moment on, every time something important was about to happen, I'd put that note in my pocket. Unfortunately it went through the washing machine and I lost the note, but I had a photo of it in my phone. I reckoned I was less likely to lose my ankle than a piece of paper, so I got the three X's tattooed in my ankle in honor of my dad.
He's still alive, but it's my most valuable tattoo.
The Cardinal
I have a cardinal on my arm in memory of my stepdad. He had one leg, loved Christmas, and one of my fav gifts I've ever gotten from him was a dream catcher. My tattoo artist took all that and made a gorgeous one legged cardinal holding a dream catcher with some holly behind it.
John, if somehow the afterlife lets you see it, I got it because you made a mark on my life by choosing to help raise a little red headed demon. You didn't have to, but you did it anyways. Thank you for everything.
Lotus Proud
While he was working on his sleeve, I got bored and decided to get a tattoo that I'd always wanted. A lotus flower with the stem in the shape of the logo for the National Eating Disorder Association. I wasn't trying to put my business out there, so I tried to draw the shape, but I realized that wasn't working out.
So I showed the artist the logo, and obviously he saw what it was. We got to talking, and I told him my story. When it came time to pay, he didn't charge me anything. I tipped him $80, and he said he was proud to see someone successfully beat an eating disorder. It's still one of my favorite tattoos.
"Love you, Mackie"
My best friend passed away very suddenly on the 4th of July last year. She lost her 5 year battle with full systemic lupus, we knew she was sick but we never thought it would take her from us. We had been friends since we were 5 and she passed when she was 21, it completely shattered me.
I have my tattoo appointment this week to get a purple butterfly (universal symbol for lupus) and the words "love you, Mackie" traced from a letter she wrote me. It's going to be the most meaningful tattoo I have and I know she would have loved it.
Keep Adding....
A friend of mine (drifted apart) got a bouquet of roses tattooed across his back. One silver one for his mum, three black ones for his sisters, a red one for his partner and two green buds for his nephew and niece. His mum passed away a week after he got them complete but at least we will always have the memory of her look of shock when he showed them to her.
I wonder if he's added more....
The Moon & Beyond
Not a tattoo artist, but my husband passed away very suddenly. A friend of our's was a tattoo artist, and he was amazingly skilled. I asked him to tattoo "I love you to the moon and back a million times" in my husbands handwriting from a letter I had from my husband. I had every intention of paying him, naturally, but he didn't want payment. He did it for free. It is my favorite tattoo and it means the world to me. He is an amazing artist, and an even more awesome human being. I cherish it every day.
Edit: Oh my gosh guys, y'all are so sweet! Reddit has really been kind to me and helped me with the loss of my husband. I don't know if anybody remembers the infamous "Widow misses husband, wants to figure out how to obtain his Google data for voice recordings to hear his voice again" comment on an Ask Reddit post last year, but that was also from me, and they ended up doing an Endless Thread podcast episode that featured some of his voice recordings. You guys are amazing.. thank you for all the love!
One Leg Fool
Guy came in - he had one leg so I thought he was interesting, he wanted a tattoo on his hand and asked if it was ok to tattoo it since he had recently broken it (his hand), I said it was fine as long as it was healed up. I asked out of curiosity how he broke his hand and he said "I punched my dog". I got him to fill out the form with his name and address and asked casually where the dog was and he just said "gone now". Told him I was sorry that I couldn't do his tattoo and then turned his butt in to the cops. I should have just taken his other leg. Moron.
I just met you.....
Tattoo artist here. i just wanna chime in and say this : tattoos are a powerful tool for healing, for sure. but we aren't therapists. i get to know a lot of my clients over the years and we tell each other about our traumas and become good friends over time. but holy crap, do not use your tattooist as a therapist, especially on the first appointment, or through a long oversharing email.
I care about my clients but I am not prepared emotionally for them to blast me with their trauma right out of the gate. graphic details of death, loss, abuse, assault, buddy, I just met you. I have no training to be able to handle this internally, nor to help you in the way that a professional can. often times therapy costs about as much as a tattoo, and while it's less cool, it might be more helpful in the long run.
Oh Spike!
Not a tattoo artist but got a very meaningful tattoo this past February! I lost my 13 yrs old dog on January 4 and it broke my heart, he was with me more than half of my life and put a smile on my face every single day for 13 years. He was the most precious bundle of joy. I always let him sleep on my bed and he used to curl up and rest his head close to my ankle, so simple but it made me feel so warm inside. I got this right in the spot he used to rest at. One of my favorite pictures with him. Not a day goes by that I don't remember my little ball of fur, I love and miss you so much Spike!
Lyrical Momento
My mom got a tattoo of the main lyrics of the song she sang to our rescue dog who died of a preventable disease from the Dominican.
He was the most loving, thankful and well behaved dog anyone will ever have known, and he died at the age of 6 after only having him for 2 years because the vets said they could save us hassle for the disease treatment if we start it when it becomes active. By then it was too late. His last days were so sad, it broke my mom for a long time.
Like a Titan
Not an artist, but this is a very personal story.
In 2015 I got Destiny: The Taken King and met five people to do a raid, four of whom I still play with today. The fifth was named Daniel. He played Titan class, and was the best sniper I've ever seen. But he was also a really, really nice kid. He always encouraged everybody and hyped us up. But in 2017 he died to cancer. And I'd never get to tell him how much I appreciated him.
He played the Solar subclass, which if you don't play, means you get a small flaming hammer, much like Thor's, to throw at people and cause havoc. Well, our other Titan Kyle also played the subclass. So, as a memorial to Daniel and his favorite class, he got a tattoo of the flaming hammer on his arm. Something simple and sweet, with a huge meaning.
The Angel
The most memorable tattoo that I've seen is one of my brother's. For background: my brother used to be my cousin but he had adopted him because his mom, dad, and little brother were all murdered. He had wanted a tattoo for most of his life and had sketched out a few designs. They went to the tattoo place and had the person there do a few touch ups to the desired design then came home with a cross with angel wings that had his little brother's name, date of birth, and death date. It is a very beautiful tattoo and is my favorite out of all of his.
Favorite Forever....
I was in a car accident and lost my brother.... got a portrait of him done on my arm.. it's a pretty tragic story, that I told to the artist. When he was done he gave me a minute alone (in a tiny studio surrounded by others getting work done), I spent a few minutes balling my eyes out. I kinda felt bad for everyone around, having to see that. He cut me a deal (which I didn't ask for or want). I have lots of tats, this one is obviously my favorite.. it's an amazing piece and very well done.
If you or someone you know is struggling, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).To find help outside the United States, the International Association for Suicide Prevention has resources available at https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/
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People Share The Best Examples Of 'The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions'
"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions."
An aged old proverb reflecting on when people perform what they think are well-meaning, helpful acts, but in reality, only worsen a bad situation.
A day seldom goes by when people won't notice an example of this, either on the news, in the book they're reading, or simply walking down the street.
This could be anything from someone making promises to help out, but never delivering on them, to saving money for a less expensive cleaner, which turns out to radiate toxic fumes, resulting in the building being closed for an indefinite length of time.
Ideas which might seem good in theory, but are impractical, illogical, or even harmful, in practice.
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions," what is a real life example of this?"
Controlling Erosion By Causing Erosion...
"The introduction of Kudzu for erosion control."
"It has become invasive and girdles and kills plant life above ground without establishing proper roots, therefore causing soil erosion."- Aldous_Hoaxley
When Honesty Is NOT The Best Policy...
"Once upon a time, I found a wallet on the beach."
"Having lost my own more than once, and not having it returned to me, I am aware that it is a stressful life event."
"So, my first thought was how to return it quickly."
"Looking through the contents, the owner was from out of state and there was no contact information other than the drivers license."
"Aside from that, only a few credit cards and some cash."
"Not knowing how long ago the owner had left, I thought let's just sit here for a while and maybe he will return looking for it since it is the first thing I would do."
"After a couple hours of fun and sun we needed to move on."
"My next best idea was to turn it into the local police station which we found easily enough just down the street."
"What I thought would be a quick in and out turned into a full on interrogation session during which I was, at one point, accused of theft/robbery."
"It was a bizarre experience, to say the least, which wasted an hour of our day."- notawhingymillenial
Think Carefully About Where You Donate...
"The Unexpected Consequences of your donations."
"TOMS Shoes, a company that pledged to donate a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair purchased."
"Turns out that the company's donations disrupted local shoe markets in developing countries, putting local shoe makers out of business and creating a dependency on foreign donations."
"Additionally, the shoes donated by TOMS were not always appropriate for the local climate or culture and were not always of the same quality as the shoes being sold."
"Reportedly, they have ended up in landfills."- EditorNo2545
Not Helping Anyone If You Can't Adequately Care For THem
"Trying to rescue too many cats."- Tackybabe
When One Crisis Leads To Another
"Haiti did not have cholera."
"A disastrous earthquake hit Haiti in 2010, after the earthquake humanitarian forces from the UN arrived to help, and the Nepalese contingent reintroduced Cholera to Haiti."
"This epidemic has since infected approximately 850,000 people and killed over 10,000."- scootarded
It's The Only Way They'll Learn How To Solve Them
"Sheltering your kid from every possible problem."- Easywood
"Those parents who solve all their kids issues and don't make them 'stress' about consequences of their own actions."
"Their kids just turn into inept and entitled adults who still act 15 for decades and not only have a harder life for themselves but make life miserable for everyone around them too."
"Yes it's bad to go too far the other way, raising a child is a balancing act."
"I get that, but ignoring a child isn't usually from good intentions while spoiling them often is and that was the prompt."
"If this sounds like it happened to you, I promise you that you can get yourself out of the cycle."
"It sucks and it hurts and it's unpleasant, but you can do it if you want to."
"Get ready to fail, and then keep trying anyway."
"Persistence will be a new skill, and you will be bad at it."
"And that's okay."
"You didn't do this to yourself, you don't need to feel shame."
"Digging yourself out however is something you'll be doing yourself, and you can take pride in every step you make it the right direction."- EisConfused
When Some People Just Can't Be Helped
"My neighbor who is supposedly getting evicted soon."
"Basically she saw young drug addicts (30 year olds) as people she could change for the better."
"She’d find them somewhere and bring them home."
"Evidently the idea was that she could show them a warm apartment and good food and they would realize the error of their ways and change for the better."
"That or a safe place to do their drugs."
"We had a door code so they could come in and knock on her door until she answered."
"It was a constant stream of strange people going in and out of her room all night long."
"I figured it wasn’t my problem, people can do what they want if they aren’t hurting anyone else."
"But then three of the men decided to take advantage of her because it’s not like she could physically kick them out herself, and she wouldn’t call the police."
"These are people who don’t want to change, they like their lifestyle and she gave them an upgrade."
"We are pretty sure they are doing meth in there."
"They come back at 1:30 am and either snort something or smoke something that from the hallway smells like cat pee or paint thinner."
"Then they scream bloody murder, throw things, and have domestics until 11 am, like clockwork."
"Police can’t actively go into the room and even people on the top floor are calling them."
"Landlord and management is doing his best to get them out but that’s a lengthy process."
"They disabled the door code but they are still getting in."
"Even the girl has been taken to the hospital for overdosing a few times."
"Anything not nailed down in the gym and lobby are getting trashed and stolen."
"Lobby bathroom is trashed constantly."
"Cars in the parking lot are being broken into and catalytic converters are being stolen."
"These men stalk around the parking lot watching people."
"We do have visitor rules, which are being broken."
"It’s going to get worse before it gets better."
"My goodwill is gone, we want her out."- RotaryMicrotome
Always Do Your Research
"The introduction of non-native species as a means of solving an environmental problem."- Addwon
Not All Issues Can Be Solved Surgically
"Lobotomy."
"Surgery to fix the mentally unwell."
"It sounds so good: no more reliance on medication, you’re good from now on."
"But it didn’t work."
"The outcomes were awful and it was frequently done without any sort of consent."
"It all could have been shut down fairly quickly if people were honest about what was happening, but careers and money was at stake."
"So many unnecessarily suffered."- raftsa
Ironic How Low The Success Rate Was
"Since the abysmal performance of American schools has been in the news recently, 'No Child Left Behind' and it's replacement 'Every Student Succeeds Act'."
"America has never had really good public education, but it used to be serviceable.'
"NCLB came in to try and create some milestones and accountability."
"Instead it made the problem worse.'
'ECSS came in and tried to address its problems, but changed the stuff that wasn't the problem and left the bad parts unscathed."
"Taken all together 57% of high school GRADUATES can't read at a 7th grade reading level and over a quarter are functionally illiterate."- Twokindsofpeople
We all want to help others, and make the world a better place.
But before we jump into action, it is important to stop and reflect who exactly we would be helping.
If anyone or anything at all.
Toys People Always Wanted Growing Up But Never Actually Received
Unless you grew up with the most doting parents on the planet, there's probably a toy or two that you really wanted as a kid, but never received.
Whether it was too expensive for your parents to afford, or something like a noisy toy that was going to be way too annoying for your parents, there are probably some toys that you really missed out on as a child.
Redditor Moist-Patience-4989 asked:
"What is a toy you always wanted growing up, but never got?"
Power Wheels
"The Barbie Jeep that you could actually ride in. But once I had kids, I bought them one (not the Barbie version, but still). And guess what? I was five pounds under the weight limit so I was able to ride in their battery-powered Jeep. I mean, it was a couple decades late, but I eventually got to do it."
- smugmisswoodhouse
"Lol I never got one of those as a kid either. It still haunts me till this day. I have no idea why but it still does. My mom bought me a car for my 16th birthday but I still bring up the freaking power wheel. I guess it really scarred me."
- Annonme123
Easy - Bake Oven
"Easy - Bake Oven"
- Antibara
"Me too. I wanted one so bad. When they came out with the real retro looking ones a while ago, I was sooo tempted. LOL"
- Real-Web8925
"I was a child of the 70s, and wanted the Holly Hobbie version. My parents were poor and/or didn't want me cooking in my bedroom, so they dodged by pointing out it was for ages 8 and up. By the time I was 8 I was cooking real food in an actual oven so the request was dropped. Still low-key want one though, entirely to indulge my inner child."
- pepperminticecream
"Easy bake oven. Parents didn’t think it was a toy for boys. I still became a baker anyways"
- Soggy-Juggernaut-569
Mini Bike
"A mini-bike like they advertised in the Sears Christmas catalog."
- XploringTheWorld
"Same. I wanted one so bad. All the guys on my street had one and to get into the woods they drove their bikes between my house and the neighbors. On our lawn! I was so pissed off they got to do it but my dad didn’t think it was safe for a girl (in 1968)."
- SnowinMiami
Tamagotchi
"Always wanted a Tamagotchi"
- DuracellCosmonaut
"They were banned at my school. I think there was a bit of controversy with them at the time."
- Maso_TGN
"I have mine! Just put fresh batteries in it a couple weeks ago and I still can’t keep the dumb thing alive 😅"
- IJustWantWaffles_87
TMNT Pizza Shooter
"The ninja turtle pizza thrower van."
- Ph33r-Enigma
"My friend brought his TMNT Pizza Shooter over. We then spent the next 2 hours shooting my older sister. I asked for one and my parents (for very good reason) told me absolutely not."
- HoopOnPoop
"I just used it to shoot pizzas at my little brother. Thing was amazing
- MrJimBusiness18
American Girl Dolls
"An American Girl doll. Loved the books so much. I've been tempted to buy myself a Samantha now that she's out again, but I like the original outfit better."
- horseruth
"I read that catalogue cover to cover every time I got it (which is back when there were only three dolls and nothing ever changed). I was convinced when I grew up and had kids, my daughter would have all three dolls, each in its own room so that the historical eras didn't get mixed up. Spoiler alert: that did not happen. No kids, and my house doesn't have three extra bedrooms to devote to dolls."
- jleebeane
Castle Greyskull
"Castle Grayskull, from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe."
- Maso_TGN
"My brother had it and I played with my strawberry shortcake dolls in it."
- GlamSpam
"By The Power Of Grayskull, sacrilege!"
- Maso_TGN
"They actually made a new one recently, and it’s identical to the original 80’s one, just with modern details. You can get it here."
- IncreaseWestern6097
Rock Tumbler
"A rock tumbler"
- Picklesgal111
"I was looking for this one. We are two rocks in the tumbler together."
- Independent_Cut8651
"Not really a toy, but I’ve wanted a rock polishing kit for as long as I can remember and would ask for one every Christmas and birthday."
- awesquirrel
Pokédex
"a pokedex. I wanted one so bad, but NoOoOo, mom and dad thought pokemon was annoying"
- CptJaxxParrow
The Big Box of Crayons
"The Crayola 64-pack with the three metallic colors."
- wholewheatscythe
You may have missed out on these toys as a child, but the great thing about being an adult is that you can do what you want. If the toy you desperately wanted as a kid is still available, you are totally allowed to just go out and buy yourself one.
When it comes to fast food places, no two places are the same. Wendy's spicy chicken nuggets are far superior to those from McDonald's, while no one does milkshakes quite like Dairy Queen.
I have always preferred burgers from In-N-Out, but my brother will always go for Five Guys.
There will always be debates when it comes to which establishment does fast food the best.
The biggest debate surrounds the ultimate side dish: french fries.
No one can ever seem to agree on which fast food chain has the best french fries, but that doesn't stop the debate. Redditors are engaged in that very debate as we speak!
It all started when Redditor Seraphicly329 asked:
"Which fast food chain restaurant has the best fries?"
Perfect Sauce
"In and Out. Watching them slice up them fresh potatoes makes me feel something special. Especially when dipped in that thousand island special sauce mmmmm"
– bathofknives
Don't Know What You're Missing
"Checkers!!! My current pregnancy craving. Thanks alot for reminding me to get the fry lovers size on my way home from work."
– jerri89
"Anyone who doesn't say checkers has never had checkers' fries."
"But to expand on this... anyone notice how all of their other foods suck?"
– murrepe321
"I haven’t had these fries since I was a kid vacationing in Florida. I’m from the great white north and I totally came here to say that checkers fries are the bomb!!"
– bluerodeosexshow
Fries Of Yore
"I've had this debate with my dad a lot."
"He says it's McDonalds."
"I don't have a definitive favorite, but if I had to choose, I pick the old Wendy's fries, before they did this Crispy version. I just loved the Sea Salt flavor they used."
"(I don't dislike the new fries, but I vastly prefer the older ones)"
– F19AGhostrider
"Wendy's sh*t the bed with their new fries. Now it's McDonald's."
– SteelTumbler
"Wendy's old ones 100% I love how the were thick cut and when they got all floppy they were the bomb."
– Rahtgooves
Curly Is Aways Better
"Ngl I’ve always been craving Jack in the Box curly fries. But that’s just me."
– SignalOk1538
"Arby's curly fries are GOATed."
– einherjar81
"I like my fries to have a crispy outside, and a soft fluffy inside. Arby's Curly Fries do meet that specification, when you get the big long curls, however every time I order them, I get 1-2 good curls on the top of the box, then 3/4 of the box is filled with all short hard bits. Ugh."
"And the Krinkly Fries are exactly the opposite, all soft and fluffy, with no crisp whatsoever."
"IF I could get a box of all long curls, they would be #1 on my list."
– Stormblade73
"McDonald’s for skinny"
"Jack in the Box for curly (which is a shame because I live 6 hours from the nearest jbox these days!)"
– Steph_Boyardee
KFC International
"KFC Australia. The UK KFC fries are horrific"
– stuloch
"Don’t know about either but the US KFC fries are delicious"
– Keyguin
"The KFC fries in the UK are actually nice now. They used to need 4 sachets of salt to make them edible."
– TheCubeOfDoom
Once You Go To Five Guys...
"Five guys. The fact that these fries haven't forced the entire industry to adapt is crazy to me."
"Going to any other fast food place, getting a large fry makes me laugh and wonder why the hell I didn't go to 5G."
– Hank___Scorpio
I Dare You To Argue
"Bojangles, if anyone disagrees I will fight you"
– chaosbones43
"Took me way too long to find this but 100%! Especially when they are fresh and seasoned just right. No other fast food restaurant even comes close IMO"
– TheSocialButterfly11
Cajun Is The Best
"Five Guys cajun fries. Those fries are some of the best GD fries you'll ever have in your life"
– Present_Rip7556
"overall? i think wendys [MA] but a close second is popeyes. Cajun fries are amazing"
– TJzzz
"It’s not fast food, but if you ever come across a restaurant called Hot N Juicy, get the Cajun fries. I don’t think it’s too big of a chain, but they set up shop in Cali, AZ, Florida, Vegas, idk which other states but good God it’s some good fries every time"
– double_decker_taco
Only One Right Answer
"It is funny to see all the people who have never been to Runza give answers that aren't Runza"
"The correct answer is Runza."
– elting44
God-Tier
"I don't care what anyone says, In N Out fries on a good day are God-tier. There is no better fast food french fry. Consider that they use Kennebec, the superior fry potato, and sunflower oil, which is top tier frying oil. They cut potatoes on site.
Of course there is going to be some variation compared to the mass factory-produced shake shack fries that are formed from a batter, but you can hardly call those fries."
– tornato7
Best For These Reasons
"Hear me out, I think Nacho Fries from Taco Bell are the best for 3 reasons:"
- "Crispy. If you get them fresh they are fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. They're on point."
- "Seasoning. Cajun seasoning is also pretty decent where you can get it, but nacho seasoning is better in my opinion."
- "Sauce. Comes with Nacho Cheese, which is perhaps the best pairing for spuds, followed closely by ranch variants. Chilli cheese fries are better, but in my opinion are a different category of food item."
– malik753
A Full Analysis
"I've found Wendy's fries are usually pretty good but I'm not a fan of their morning wedges or whatever they're called."
"Arby's are okay. The crinkle-cut fries are meh. The curly fries are slightly better but not as good as they used to be when the stores made their own in-house (a very long time ago)."
"Sonic fries are okay."
"I haven't been to an A&W or Long John Silver's in a while (they moved out some years ago) but I liked the fries okay."
"McDonald's are thin and often cold and sometimes quite greasy and over-salted."
"Burger King fries are no better than McDonald's."
"I despise Five Guys. They're usually soaking wet."
"Haven't had In-and-Out in a long time but I always felt they tasted a little better than cardboard. Even with salt on them."
"I haven't had KFC, Popeyes or Taco Bell in a while so I can't rate them. Haven't been to a White Castle in a long time either... I usually just went for the burgers."
"There are probably others but I don't remember or haven't tried."
– md724
Only When Fresh
"McDonald's fries when they're fresh and properly salted are no joke. We've all been eating them forever so we're just used to them I think."
– jew_biscuits
"I think McDonald's fries are the best if they're fresh and prepared correctly . . . which seems to be rare these days."
– Dr_Edge_ATX
"Properly salted McDonald's fries, they're literally heaven."
– chucked___cheeze
"McDonald’s for me and it’s not close"
– jewishMILFhunter2
In The Area
"Where I live, McDonalds first, Wendy’s second."
– ijeanofdreammie
There are a lot of different opinions here!
I think what I learned is that it's less about the establishment and more about the location. The fries from my Popeye's may be far superior to one in the next state over, but their Shake Shack may show up the one in my area.
One thing we can all agree on: the mission to find the perfect french fries will never end!
Some people will just believe anything.
And if you call a statement a fact long enough, many people take it as gospel.
Some facts are absolute truths, others can be malleable.
Science changes.
History evolves.
Lies are exposed.
And research is an actual art form.
Redditor OfficialVickiLuv wanted to share the truths we need to know, so they asked:
"What is a common 'fact' that you know is bulls**t?"
There is no such thing as an alternative fact.
So let's start there.
Not a Forest
"Shaving makes your hair grow back thicker."
Heavy_Educator9822
"I used to believe this one. I was very disappointed when I learned it was BS."
leebon427
Both Sides
"There are two kinds of thinkers: Right brain people are who are creative, and the people that use the left side who can do math."
Beaver_Buster
"Try telling that to psychologists/psychiatrists who do research/clinical studies/trials. I’ve been denied dozens of times to partake in research studies revolving around mental health, specifically depression, and anxiety."
"Why did they deny me [even tho I was a perfect candidate]? Because I write with my left hand. And apparently it would make their study 'invalid' because they 'don’t want to interfere with results.'"
"Please tell me how excluding a large amount of people from a research study would somehow give you the correct answer for treating mental health for everybody?"
asianstyleicecream
Find them...
"That you have to wait 24 hours to report someone missing."
Zatiebars
"Especially with children, the quicker the police can get to the 'crime' scene the fresher the evidence and easier to follow leads. I used crime in quotes because there could have been a crime or the kid might have just wandered off."
"But it's not just for kids though... If you know someone is a home body and never leaves home and you know something has happened, by all means call the police. Even if they like to take random trips, it never hurts to inform the law."
Zatiebars
Crackle... Pop
"Cracking your knuckles causes arthritis."
Famous-Background329
"Probably just normal. Cracks are just little bubbles of nitrogen that settle where there's space. They don't build up over time, once the space is occupied by a little bubble then no more can join it. A knuckle that hasn't been cracked in 50 years is the same as a knuckle that hasn't been cracked in a few hours."
ConstantSignal
Give a Howl
"Alpha wolves being real. The guy who did the original study disproved his one study and gets mad when people get it wrong now... lol."
Silverj0
"Came looking for this, also extrapolating this BS to human beings and 'sigma,' go read. The articles are all available. It's nonsense that people still believe s* like this with access to everything in their hands."
artemispock
The wolf pack is always ready.
Trivia
"A 'factoid' is an often repeated statement that isn't true, but is now believed to be true due to people saying it all the time. Its not a mini fact, or like, fun piece of trivia."
JackofScarlets
Breakfast Companies
"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The quote was made by Kellogg's to make people buy more cereal. If you search up articles that say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, most are sponsored by Kellogg's."
Jazzlike-Caramel7103
"I’m not sure Kellogg’s made it up. In my country there’s a saying that’s been around forever that alludes to the importance of breakfast that goes 'have breakfast like a king and dinner like a poor person.' Kellogg’s might’ve simply exploited an existing popular belief."
kaleidoscopichazard
Hey Stumpy
"Caffeine makes you short."
CForey62
"This one makes me laugh. I've been drinking coffee since I was like 9 years old and turned out 190cm tall."
TurquoiseBeetle67
Spuds
"Potatoes absorb toxins. The amount of people that believe putting potato slices in your shoes or wear them around your neck as a holistic medical treatment is shockingly high. It’s just oxidation."
wheresmychin
"I recall seeing a antivaxx meme that said if you had to get a COVID shot to put a potato slice at the injection site to absorb all the toxins. I’m all for sharing that idea if it makes people get vaccinated."
OrangeTree81
Look Out
"Bats are blind."
IWantOneSpatula
"I remember getting into a really stupid argument shortly after high school with a friend over this who just couldn't believe that bats weren't actually blind."
__M-E-O-W__
"Fine. Bats are legally blind."
shifty_coder
Now I've learned more.
Do you have anything to add? Let us know in the comments below.