When she was a child, there was a running joke in Tori Cedar’s family that if she couldn’t be with her grandfather, John, she couldn’t be with anybody.

He was her Papi; she was his Snowbunny and they had an inseparable bond, she said.

When she was 18-years-old, on the fifth anniversary of his death, she and 11 of her female family members entered Fat Kat Tattoos, a tattoo Parlor in Keyport, New Jersey. Six hours later, every single one of them, including her 75-year-old grandmother, left the parlor with a tattoo to honor Papi.

Cedar, a sophomore dual major in psychology and communication sciences and disorders, has the tattoo on her foot. It reads: “John 3:16” and is a direct reference to the Bible quote which reads:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

This phrase, in addition to representing Cedar’s strong Catholic faith, also corresponds with the anniversary of her Papi’s death, March 16.

“It symbolizes him being a father figure and a best friend, and someone who held my utmost love and support,” Cedar said, “and to also signify my faith, which holds my family together.”

Additionally, the tattoo features an anchor, which represents her Papi’s commitment to the Navy, and a snowflake, which refers to his nickname for her, Snowbunny.

Growing up, Cedar said she and her Papi had a special bond. Because her entire family lived more or less in the same town, Cedar was able to spend a lot of time with her grandparents and cousins.

“I didn’t go to summer camp in the summer,” Cedar said. “Summer camp was Grandma’s backyard.”

Cedar and her family have now had their tattoos for over a year and a half. In this time, Cedar said, she has never stopped loving the “charismatic man” with “the most loving heart” who helped raise her.

“I’m super blessed,” said Cedar. “I’m blessed for my faith, and I’m blessed for the relationship I’ve had with my Papi.”

Published on September 29, 2015 at 12:01 am

Contact: emmichae@syr.edu