Miguel Macias

What inspired your most recent tattoo?

Surviving a terminal cancer diagnosis, of which there are approximately only 200 cases globally, against all expectations to the contrary inspired my desire to mark the body that fought hard to grant me more life. After being an agnostic believer all my life, having an epiphany about the existence of God, which is the only way I can rationalize surviving, inspired me to get a permanent reminder of the most terrifying yet awakening experience of my life. Only ink could be a suitable reminder.

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

I think the ink would be subtle yet powerful in its message. The visual of the nails in the form of a cross convey the suffering and the hardness required to endure years of treatment and recovery. The ink says it takes a will of iron to go to the brink of death and live. My ink would speak softly, letting the five letters accompanying the cross of nails speak its message: A L I V E it would whisper. It’s a message that represents my story but also the stories of many others who overcome t

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would certainly get one or two more tattoos. After that, there’s a charity I have in mind that I would love to donate the majority of the money. They’re an organization that partners cancer patients in treatment with former patients that have experienced that same diagnosis. It’s an amazing group of people who know that cancer treatment is very isolating in ways that are indescribable. This organization understands that and strives to ease that isolation and those solitary mo