World’s Worst Tattoo gets Extreme Makeover

Tattoos have come a long way to gain acceptance in the public eye. They can tell the story of who a person is or where they've been in life. They can be comical or hold a lot of significance. So when you decide to pay tribute to a loved one, the LAST thing you want to be recognized for is the world's worst tattoo.

In 2007, on the one-year anniversary of his wife Mindy's death, Chad Stahl, 38 visited On the Edge Tattoo Studio in Bowling Green, Ohio to honor her with a portrait tattoo. The couple had been dating for 10 years, had 3 children, and were married for less than 3 months when Mindy died in a household fire. Stahl had seen the tattoo atrtist's previous work and decided the tribute to his late wife was worth the $450 price tag.

"But when the swelling subsided, it didn't look like Mindy at all—her teeth looked evil." To add insult to injury, a friend had emailed him a link to a blog post titled "Worst Tattoo Ever" with a photo of Stahl's tattoo posted by a disgruntled On the Edge ex-employee. Stahl then went back to the tattoo studio to have the artwork fixed and have the words "In Loving Memory of Mindy" inscribed but the damage was irreparable. Or was it?

After being too embarrassed to be seen in sleeveless shirts, a friend of Stahl's recommended an artist in the neighboring town of Akron, OH. Upon hearing the tragic story of the death of Chad Stahl's wife Mindy, Scott Versago of Empire Ink not only fixed the tribute. He did so for free. Versago was so touched by the story he said "I gifted the entire project to him for free. Now he has closure and I have an amazing story to add to my portfolio!" This goes to show whether it's beating or inscribed on skin, everyone has a heart.