Woman removes tattoos to move forward from troubled past
Posted at: 10/28/2011 6:32 PM
| Updated at: 10/28/2011 10:05 PM
By: Eddie Garcia, KOB Eyewitness News 4
 Tiffany Meyer |
A tattoo can mean lots of things to people but for some women it's a reminder of a life they would rather forget.
Tiffany Meyer never dreamed she'd end up on the streets.
She did a lot of things she's not proud of; she even lost custody of her child and was thrown in jail.
That period of her life was marked by tattoos on her hand.
That was more than a year ago and now she's cleaning up the mistakes and tattoos one by one.
"It's almost completely gone,” Meyer said. “t probably will take one more treatment.”
While in jail, Meyer had to adapt, and got gang tattoos for protection and survival.
"They said this was my proof that I've had a crazy life, "mi vida local" which means my crazy life and it's something I don't have anymore," said Meyer.
Now she's in school and helps other women.
At first she had a hard time finding a job because of the tattoos.
"It can be so discouraging to go into a job interview and have someone immediately judge you on the basis of your tattoo," said Sheila Ciminera.
That's where crossroads for women stepped in and helped Meyer.
They've linked up with Lazarus Tattoo Removal in the South Valley.
"It's amazing for me because I get to see as the tattoo is being removed or tattoos - that I get to see this absolutely wonderful personality that starts to show through and the inner strength and the all around attitude - it's amazing," said Dawn Maestas.
Meyer finally got a job and works everyday - not to forget her mistakes but to learn and move on from them.
Having the visible reminders gone, gives her freedom.
"It helps raise my self esteem a lot and makes me realize that I don't have to go back to that kind of lifestyle - that I am a different person now," said Meyer.
|
 |
Tweet |
|
