A son devastated by the loss of his father has come up with a unique way of staying close to his memory – by having his ashes TATTOOED onto his arm.
William Mullane, 21, believes he has the ultimate tribute to William Snr, who died aged 73 on Christmas Day, by having an ink portrait of the dad on his arm.
To make sure his father always remains by his side security guard William asked the tattoo artist to sprinkle his late father’s ashes into the ink.
After the seven-hours it took for the portrait of William Snr, from his wedding day, his son says he is “delighted” with the result.
The proud son said: “I was very close to my dad and this way he will always be with me. He will literally be with me forever.
“I had photographs of him but I can’t have them with me all the time.
“We had an excellent relationship and I was with him every day in the last few months of his life.”
William Snr., a retired delivery driver, passed away after a four month battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which had spread throughout his lungs.
During that time William spent his days by his father’s side while working night time shifts to keep the money coming in.
The family’s heartache was compounded by the death of William Snr’s mother-in-law Peggy Dorey, aged 90, from cancer.
William’s mother Maria, 57, a Waitrose cashier, was so heartbroken the dutiful son decided to have the tattoo done as a tribute from the whole family.
Loving husband and father William Snr, from Wapping, London, had two other children, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
His ashes were ground into an ink paste at the Inkfish Studio in Maidstone, Kent, which then carried out the agreed sketch on William’s right upper arm.
Expert tattooist Brendan Mudd yesterday (Thurs) admitted revealed William’s design was the first time he had been asked to use someone’s ashes in his tattoo ink.
Mr Mudd said: “It is a tiny bit of extra work for me to mash up the ashes, but that is all. I feel quite flattered and honoured to help people with these kind of memorials.”
