Dear Zachary. . .
by Johnathan Cruz, Zachary's Uncle
I got this tattoo a few weeks after you were gone to honor and remember you by... I remember knowing the design right away and what it would mean to me. This is the only tattoo that has ever made me cry.
The rose is a symbol of love. I chose a bright blue and yellow inside with black outer petals. The blue interior of the rose symbolizes the deepest, most sincere, ever lasting, love that will live forever in your memory: the love I have for you. This love will always burn bright, fire yellow, inside of me for eternity even though you're not with us anymore. The black exterior represents this dark tragedy of you being taken from us much too soon.
This is the most meaningful and beautiful tattoo I have, and yet it's the one I wish I never did. I wish I didn't need to have a reminder of you. Rather, I wish I'd be able to see you, and hang out, and hold you whenever I wanted, instead of just holding on to memories. It does make me think about you everyday though, and I'm sure, somehow, you know that and I find some kind of comfort in that.
I love you forever and I miss you so much, buddy.
