Justin Lanes

What inspired your most recent tattoo?

Tomorrow I’m getting a new tattoo called Lone Fir. It’s a Douglas Fir tree with my kids’ names in the roots, symbolizing how they ground me. Inspired by my healing journey, it represents resilience, endurance, and growth through adversity. Like the tree, I’ve weathered storms—bent at times, but never broken. Lone Fir reminds me that even when I stand alone, I’m rooted in strength and still reaching upward.

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

I’ve stood through storms you’ll never see—bent, scarred, but still here. My roots run deep, grounded in pain, growth, and the love of my children. I carry legacy, struggle, and healing in every line. I’m not just ink—I’m the story of survival, strength, and becoming whole.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I’d fund my full-body tattoo project—a living mosaic of healing from abuse, combat, and chronic stress. Each piece honors pain, not hiding from it, but transforming it into growth. This ink is my therapy, a way to reclaim my story and move forward with strength. $25K would bring that vision to life—etched in truth, not shame.