Senior uses tattoos to honor mother’s sacrifice

Joel Canela was a freshman in college when he decided to get a tattoo of his mother’s first initial, Y, on his left tricep and her last initial, C, on his right tricep. He wanted to make sure that his first tattoo would represent something that was important to him.

“My mom is my role model, she does everything for me,” he said.

Growing up, Canela did not have the best relationship with his father, and he said his mother and his sister were always there for him. Canela is quick to call himself a “mommas boy,” a title he said he is proud of.

To Canela, his mother was not only his protector, but his number one supporter throughout his childhood. He said his mother would go to work for 12 hours a day to provide for him and his family.

The tattoo was Canela’s way of showing his appreciation and giving back to the lady he called the woman of his life.

By the time Canela was a freshman in college, Canela was able to afford his first tattoo. He said he was happy to convey the love he has for her.

“I carry my mom everywhere I go,” he said.

The first few weeks of college were hard because it was Canela’s first time being away from his mother, he said, especially when he was working and studying at the same time. Though his mother wasn’t there in person, she was there in spirit, on his triceps.

Now, Canela is in his senior year of college and still tries to call his mom everyday to tell her he loves her and to make sure she is OK. Now that he is older he said he feels he is the one who will protect his mother after college.

Though Canela is his mother’s only son, he jokingly said he is “definitely the favorite son.”

Canela’s tattoo of his mother’s initials was his first tattoo, but he does not plan for it to be his last. His mother’s Catholic heritage instilled a strong faith in him. Therefore, Canela plans to add to his his tricep tattoos with a half sleeve with a religious theme. He also wants to add to the tattoo on his left tricep to include his mother’s full name, Ysabel.

In the future, Canela said he will make sure to be everything his mother was to him for his own children. For now, he just wants to be able to make his mother proud and give her everything she wants because he said, “she deserves it.”