Never Forget Tattoo

SIMPLE AND SMALL, YET MEANINGFUL

"NEVER FORGET", BECAUSE I NEVER WILL!

WTC 9/11 survivor, so it just makes sense

It's no secret that I am a 9/11 World Trade Center survivor. For years many have asked me if I planned to get a tattoo in honor of that fateful event and while I knew I would one day, I just didn't know what to get, so I waited, until yesterday. It wasn't until I returned to One World Trade this past April (see my article again here) for a magazine event, that I knew right then and there, on what to get. Not my first tattoo either (my first one was in 1995), I just keep them small and hidden...

UPDATE: Two days later - healing nicely!

Inside One World Trade April 2015 with SELF Magazine

This is my second wrist tattoo, the other is on my left wrist "Believe", with a blue butterfly, which I had done back in February 2013 after an amazing NYFW run. Why? One of the designers told me backstage: "believe in your abilities you social butterfly, you!" I love wrist tattoos because they're small (well mine are) and can easily be hidden behind watches and accessories for work (umm hello, corporate?) Here is the inspiration for my new tattoo:

Received this on 9.11.02 at the one-year anniversary ceremony 

See, I've had this button since the one-year anniversary in 2002, only wearing it each year, on September 11th. The ribbons are tattered by now, but still holding up pretty well, just like me. "Never Forget" isn't just something that just fills social media with hashtags, it really has been my mantra since 2001 because you really cannot and will not forget. Nothing can replace the beloved Twin Towers, and while One World Trade is nice, it isn't the same, sorry. So what else do I have? 

My first tattoo was a tiger in 1995, my favorite animal: so fierce and respected - also was my high school mascot (a total coincidence). Second one graces my right shoulder: angel wings (only kind of wings I like) with my birth date on the arm I almost lost. "Believe", well because I DO, with a blue (my fave color) butterfly. Like I said, all have meaning and luckily, I haven't had to retouch any of my tattoos - not even my 20-year-old tiger one (helps to pick a great artist!) 

~Evelyn Lugo