J2′s Post-Injury Tattoos

Posted on by

wheelchair-1.jpg

J2, a BMX rider that was paralyzed after a spinal accident, has continued to represent the sport with tattoos since his injury. A catalog of his tattoos after swapping out his bike for an electric wheelchair, deeply intertwined with his life experiences:

  • His first tattoo was, not surprisingly, a BMX rider.
  • His second tattoo included two other sports he was involved in after his injury — snowboarding and skateboarding.
  • His third piece, another passion — racing.
  • His fourth tattoo was a spinal cord, representing his life changing injury.
  • His fifth tattoo was a joker, which he got to represent himself, as jokers are there to entertain, and to do it with their own personal sense of style.
  • His fifth and sixth tattoo sessions filled in some of the spaces between the tattoos with lighting — lightning was chesen because of his love of storms, and also because lighting and freak accidents can happen and strike anywhere.
  • Next a sunrise/sunset was added behind the action sports tattoos, to symbolize both the ending of something, and also the hope for a new start.
  • Finally, the smoke coming up from his vein and up his arm represents over fourteen years of using “nature’s most beloved healing plant”.

The tattoos were done by Miles Maniaci at Deluxe Tattoo in Chicago, IL.

wheelchair-2.jpg

56 thoughts on “J2′s Post-Injury Tattoos”

  1. That’s an awesome tattoo with an awesome background story… Shuts you up for sure.

  2. That’s an awesome tattoo with an awesome background story… Shuts you up for sure.

  3. That’s an awesome tattoo with an awesome background story… Shuts you up for sure.

  4. That’s an awesome tattoo with an awesome background story… Shuts you up for sure.

  13. At first I was like “why would you want to have all those tattoos reminding you of such a painful event” but then I realized that it’s not as if he’s going to forget anyway, so it’s probably helpful to talk about it via tattoos.

  14. At first I was like “why would you want to have all those tattoos reminding you of such a painful event” but then I realized that it’s not as if he’s going to forget anyway, so it’s probably helpful to talk about it via tattoos.

  15. At first I was like “why would you want to have all those tattoos reminding you of such a painful event” but then I realized that it’s not as if he’s going to forget anyway, so it’s probably helpful to talk about it via tattoos.

  16. At first I was like “why would you want to have all those tattoos reminding you of such a painful event” but then I realized that it’s not as if he’s going to forget anyway, so it’s probably helpful to talk about it via tattoos.

  29. sometimes i feel like the only person in the world who’s been paralyzed by a spinal injury, so while it sucks for him, at least i have cool tattooed company in my misery 🙂

  30. sometimes i feel like the only person in the world who’s been paralyzed by a spinal injury, so while it sucks for him, at least i have cool tattooed company in my misery 🙂

  31. sometimes i feel like the only person in the world who’s been paralyzed by a spinal injury, so while it sucks for him, at least i have cool tattooed company in my misery 🙂

  32. sometimes i feel like the only person in the world who’s been paralyzed by a spinal injury, so while it sucks for him, at least i have cool tattooed company in my misery 🙂

  33. Nice to see this. My boyfriend is in a wheelchair thanks to a motorcycle accident. He plays quad rugby and is planning his first tattoo to reflect that aspect of his “new life”. I guess accepting it in a way by inking it.

  34. Nice to see this. My boyfriend is in a wheelchair thanks to a motorcycle accident. He plays quad rugby and is planning his first tattoo to reflect that aspect of his “new life”. I guess accepting it in a way by inking it.

  35. Nice to see this. My boyfriend is in a wheelchair thanks to a motorcycle accident. He plays quad rugby and is planning his first tattoo to reflect that aspect of his “new life”. I guess accepting it in a way by inking it.

  36. Nice to see this. My boyfriend is in a wheelchair thanks to a motorcycle accident. He plays quad rugby and is planning his first tattoo to reflect that aspect of his “new life”. I guess accepting it in a way by inking it.

  45. First of all, it’s tragic that he has been deprived of such an important part of his life and that he has found solace through tattooing himself as a reminder of what he used to do.

    Now that I’ve got the serious part over with, are you sure that’s not Corey Worthington?

  46. First of all, it’s tragic that he has been deprived of such an important part of his life and that he has found solace through tattooing himself as a reminder of what he used to do.

    Now that I’ve got the serious part over with, are you sure that’s not Corey Worthington?

  47. First of all, it’s tragic that he has been deprived of such an important part of his life and that he has found solace through tattooing himself as a reminder of what he used to do.

    Now that I’ve got the serious part over with, are you sure that’s not Corey Worthington?

  48. First of all, it’s tragic that he has been deprived of such an important part of his life and that he has found solace through tattooing himself as a reminder of what he used to do.

    Now that I’ve got the serious part over with, are you sure that’s not Corey Worthington?

  49. Sorry, I meant to say it’s great that he has found solace through tattoing himself, etc.

  50. Sorry, I meant to say it’s great that he has found solace through tattoing himself, etc.

  51. Sorry, I meant to say it’s great that he has found solace through tattoing himself, etc.

  52. Sorry, I meant to say it’s great that he has found solace through tattoing himself, etc.

  53. I have a couple friends who are quad, and I know that look on his face all too well. if you can get yourself up out of bed in the morning and pee for yourself and feed yourself with your own hands, you are blessed indeed. I am very thankful that I have the abillity of all my limbs.
    good on him if he is finding satisfaction in his tattoos, he has a very hard life. a very different life from what any of us(non quads) will ever know.

  54. I have a couple friends who are quad, and I know that look on his face all too well. if you can get yourself up out of bed in the morning and pee for yourself and feed yourself with your own hands, you are blessed indeed. I am very thankful that I have the abillity of all my limbs.
    good on him if he is finding satisfaction in his tattoos, he has a very hard life. a very different life from what any of us(non quads) will ever know.

  55. I have a couple friends who are quad, and I know that look on his face all too well. if you can get yourself up out of bed in the morning and pee for yourself and feed yourself with your own hands, you are blessed indeed. I am very thankful that I have the abillity of all my limbs.
    good on him if he is finding satisfaction in his tattoos, he has a very hard life. a very different life from what any of us(non quads) will ever know.

  56. I have a couple friends who are quad, and I know that look on his face all too well. if you can get yourself up out of bed in the morning and pee for yourself and feed yourself with your own hands, you are blessed indeed. I am very thankful that I have the abillity of all my limbs.
    good on him if he is finding satisfaction in his tattoos, he has a very hard life. a very different life from what any of us(non quads) will ever know.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *