Anthony Bourdain’s Mom Is Getting A Tattoo For Her Son — Here’s What It Is

Years ago, they were seen as taboo. These days, tattoos are seen as works of art — and it’s actually a rarity if you don’t have one. A tattoo can be the perfect way to honor a loved one. Anthony Bourdain’s mom revealed she’s getting her first tattoo in memory of her son, and it’s such an noble way to always keep his wonderful memory alive.

Bourdain, who hosted food-related travel shows like Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations and Parts Unknown, passed away on June 8th in Kaysersberg, France. The cause of death has been ruled a suicide. The incident was a shock to many of his fans. Once again, it addressed why it’s important to openly discuss mental health.

When it came to tattoos, Bourdain had more than a few. He started getting inked at the age of 44, and many of his tattoos symbolized his culinary journey. “I’ve been tatted with a metal needle by hand by a monk in Chiang Mai,” he said to The Manual in November of 2017. “I’ve had a number of tattoo parlors in the States. I’ve had one hammered into my chest by two drunken Iban tribesmen in Borneo.”

So, it’s only fitting for his mother, Gladys, to pay tribute to her talented son by getting a tattoo. It’s an act Bourdain himself might never have seen coming.

Even though she admitted to The New York Times that she didn’t care much for her son’s tattoos, she felt as if it’d be a fitting way to memorialize him.

She’s going to get text that reads “Tony,” on the inside of her wrist. The work will be done by one of Bourdain’s most trusted tattoo artists. And according to Gladys herself, it’ll be the only tattoo she’ll ever get.

It proves that tattoos often serve as the perfect way to honor the people you love. And perhaps Gladys might understand her son’s love of tattoos after finally getting her own.

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).