Kentuckians remember man with over 500 matching tattoos with strangers

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - The man known for having hundreds of matching tattoos with strangers died last month.

Don Caskey, originally from Toledo, Ohio, started his journey after being diagnosed with stage four kidney cancer in 2019.

From August 2020 until his death, Caskey’s skin tells stories of many people, including people in the Commonwealth.

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“He was the kind of person that, no matter what, he was there to spread positivity,” said Destiny Simpson from Owensboro. “He would want all of us to continue telling his story and to keep everything going.”

Simpson traveled about three hours to get a tattoo with Caskey when he was in Louisville. They got each other’s names with an arrow and a lotus flower.

”A lotus flower represents strength and resilience,” Simpson said. “It’s a beautiful flower that grows out of the mud. That’s the best way I can describe Don. He was dying of cancer, but always willing to be a ray of sunshine and put a smile on other people’s faces.”

Each tattoo was special to Caskey. On February 6, those same tattoos became a part of his legacy. His skin is a reflection of the lives he touched and the mark he left on the world, including those who had the honor of tattooing him.

“Me being a survivor of gun violence, a person who been in prison and having to overcome battles, I learned to be knocked down and picked up in any struggles in life,” said Alonzo “Zo” Chappell, owner of Zo Tattoos and Piercings Owner. “It meant a lot for him to come to me and share his story.”

March 19 would have been Caskey’s 57th birthday.

All those linked by ink plan to use the day to honor his life and legacy. Click or tap here for more.

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