It was 10 years ago, June 1st, 2001, that a single-engine Cessna piloted by 16-year-old Kendra Tunnell crashed in Visalia.
Her mother, Valerie Derouin, says she died pursuing her dreams. "She was going to be a pilot. It grew from just a pilot to an airline pilot, to an astronaut."
Kendra's pursuit of her dreams is what inspires her mother today.
In fact, it says that on the tattoo of her daughter: "Pursue Your Dreams."
Kendra took advantage of every opportunity in life. She loved basketball, water skiing, and she played the cello. Valerie says the tattoo serves as a daily motivator. "When I wake up in the morning and I'm getting ready for work or whatever, I catch a glimpse of it and it's a shiny spot in my morning, just like, come on Kendra, let's go to work."
Valerie went to the LA Ink website and wrote about her daughter and why she wanted the tattoo. She didn't think she'd get picked to be featured on LA Ink, let alone have the tattoo done by Kat Von D herself.
Kendra's step-brother says there's none like it. "I mean you could see the dimples, the sparkles in the eyes and everything. Quite amazing. Never seen a tattoo like that."
Valerie also has a tattoo of a pink elephant. So do some of kendra's other relatives. Her step-sister got hers done at Stylin' Tattoos in Visalia. Kendra loved to draw, and it became her logo.
Stylin' tattoos owner says tattoos are a way of life for many. "People have come in and got flowers or things that represent that person or something that person really loved or cared about."
Artists say tribute tattoos are usually a symbol of someone. In this case, it's about what Kendra symbolized: Pursuing your dreams.
TXT 24
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