Manuel de Jesus

"My name is Manuel de Jesus, I am a client of Tony Vilella. I met Tony when I was looking for
an excellent artist to pay tribute to my family (my wife and my two children). I searched
extensively in New York for artists who excelled in the field, because just as my family is
important to me, I wanted to have a spectacular piece, which would represent them and
which I would carry with me forever.
Tony crafted a beautiful tattoo, for which I am truly grateful due to the quality and
professionalism. I let him create and develop the work, because he is recognized as one of
the best artists in the world, which gave me confidence.
In conversation with Tony and telling him about my life story and the value that the tattoo
held for me, I ended up learning about the social project Tony runs, called "Coloring Lives
with Hope". This social project helps people who have experienced traumas and who have
scars because of it. This project made me very happy, because I have a scar resulting from a
shocking work accident, which I do not like to remember and I try in every way not to look
at the scar, as it makes me remember every moment of pain and despair I went through.
The accident occurred when I was at work using a gasoline machine and it exploded. The
accident happened on my wife's birthday and I did not get to see her that day, as I was
taken directly to the emergency room and was hospitalized. I spent a month in the hospital
under care. I remember we were going to travel as a family the day after the accident, so in
addition to being away from my family and nearly dying, we lost a trip we had planned to
spend more time together. In addition to the time I spent hospitalized, I had to spend
another year in therapy without being able to work, given the severity of the accident.
These were difficult moments that I do not like to recall.
I am really very happy that Tony accepted me to participate in this social project that he
carries out. My scar may not be visible for everyone to see, as I hide it, but it is visible to me,
to my wife, to my children. I try not to look at it, but it's there, on my thigh, there are times
when it's impossible not to see it and when I do see it, everything comes into my head, each
moment, each second I spent away from my family, with the uncertainty of everything that
was to come. Having this piece of art on my body will make me reframe everything I went
through and when I look at my thigh, I will see the beautiful work of art that I will carry
forever on my body.
This tattoo is a chance, a choice I have to exchange something that causes me suffering, for
something that brings me happiness, something that I will be proud to show everyone.

"