Tattoo #196: A Chance Encounter, a Lasting Connection
In December of 2019, Don Caskey was diagnosed with stage four kidney cancer. After having a kidney removed, doctors discovered the cancer had already spread to his lymph nodes. Instead of retreating into fear, Don chose something far more radical: connection.
“I had just gotten my sixth tattoo and was thinking about how my tattoos only meant something to me,” Don shared. “That’s when I got the idea to get matching tattoos with strangers.”
An Unexpected Invitation
I was thinking about adding to a tattoo I already have, but I didn’t have a plan. We had just moved back to Atlanta, and Greg and I were flipping through artist portfolios at a local shop when we found ourselves sharing a couch with a kind-eyed man with a long beard. He introduced himself as Don, and within minutes, we were pulled into his story.
He was visiting shops around the country to share his journey. He asked if I’d like to get a matching tattoo with him, to share in his search for individual connection, and yet, at the same time, participate in something bigger than ourselves. Don would get whatever you were getting and didn’t want to influence what it would be. He wanted it to be unique to the “stranger” he had just met. Don’s life project was ultimately called StrangerInk.org. Ultimately, Don thought of it as a way of being remembered, but it was primarily a means of connection.
At first, I wasn’t sure. Greg and I went home to discuss it, and I began researching Don’s project. News stations had reported its beginning near his hometown in Ohio, and then also reported on news stations in Kentucky and beyond. Social media featured friends with matching tattoos he made while on his mission to make connections—with 194 strangers and counting—all while living with terminal cancer.
Choosing to live by what we believe
Greg and I kept returning to the same thought: This was a human being, asking for time, for meaning, for presence. It wasn’t just about ink; it was about living by what we believe.
I thought about what I’d want my tattoo to be. I wanted to share something unique in my life with the strangers Don crosses paths with. I chose two simple but profound words: Fine Art, a reflection of what shapes and inspires me. We designed it in an elegant typeface and placed it just above my left ankle. Combining my love of art and graphic design.
Don got multiple tattoos that day. #195 and #196 with us.
Greg got his one and only tattoo (195). I got my next (196).
Don’s arms and body almost ran out of space. If you look closely at a photo of his arm, you’ll find it—the same “Fine Art” tattoo I now carry with me.
A Tattoo, A Gift
What struck me most was Don’s sincerity. He listened to us. He wanted to know why we chose our designs. He shared his thoughts on life, on mortality, on meaning. It was not about collecting names. It was about the joy of meeting people and sharing something real. I look down at my ankle and smile. That tattoo is more than a design. It’s a gift of grace and a reminder that strangers can become part of our journey.
“I’ve done things in the last couple of years I never could’ve imagined,” Don said. “I’ve met so many amazing people. There are more things we have in common than different. I hope more people embrace the good.”
Don passed away in April of 2023. He had over 500 tattoos when he passed, which he got with strangers who were now friends. Sometimes, the most meaningful connections come when we least expect them; on a couch, in a tattoo shop, beside a man with a long beard, friendly eyes, and a beautiful reason to keep going.💖
In peace and love, Stacy Joyfully 🦋
#HippieHeart #LiveFully #KindnessIsRadical
