A mortician is offering families the chance to preserve the tattoos and skin of a family member when they die.
Michael Sherwood, from Cleveland, gives grieving relatives the option of keeping the tattooed skin as ‘fine art’.
The idea was conceived when Michael and his son Kyle were having a few drinks with friends. They got on to the topic of how much tattoos mean to people, where one of Michael’s friends told him that he would like his tattoo to be preserved after his death.
Kyle said: “With the art in tattoos and how much they mean to people, why not keep them after they die? People put ashes in urns on mantels and visit stones with their loved one’s names on them. Why not keep tattoos as a memorial?”
Kyle explained the process takes three to four months and begins within 72 hours of the person’s death.
The duo says the process is conducted with dignity and respect, but they draw the line at preserving face or genital tattoos.
