Samantha Dillingham

What inspired your most recent tattoo?

My mother was the inspiration for this tattoo. My mom collected windmills and other items from the Netherlands he entire life. Months before he death we did an Ancestry DNA test and discovered that mom had Dutch ancestry, which she never knew. I decided to pay homage to our surprise heritage with a tattoo of a windmill souvenir spoon and the Dutch word for mother. She was the kindest and most giving person I've ever known, and losing her at 67 was very tough.

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

My tattoo has drawn a lot of attention from other Dutch people, which I think opens up a conversation about my mom, and sharing about her with total strangers gives me an opportunity to talk about this incredible woman with others.

What would you do with the $25,000?

We were displaced after the wildfires in California, due to toxins present in our rented home. We are establishing a new home, currently, and also planning our wedding, as we got engaged in February. We will use the money for the wedding, saving some of it for a rainy day, and also donating some to our community, to help others affected by the fires.