Shaquille O’Neal’s son Shareef shared the early stages of his new ink on Twitter. Despite Shaq and Kobe growing apart in the later stages of their professional careers, Shareef and Kobe were tight. Kobe had messaged Shareef on Twitter just hours before the helicopter crash.
— Shareef O’Neal (@SSJreef) January 26, 2020
Shareef O’Neal shared a look at his tribute tattoo to Kobe and Gianna with the caption “Can’t wait for you guys to see final product” and based on what we can see in the picture it looks like this piece of art is going to come out great.
— Shareef O’Neal (@SSJreef) February 5, 2020
I’ll say this: Shareef’s tattoo is a hell of a lot better (in quality) than the marlin tattoo I got in tribute of my older brother who passed away when I was thirteen. I grew up fishing every weekend with my brother. On our boat, off the beach, at the pier, all throughout Florida and in upstate New York. He taught me how to read the water and enjoy just being out there.
I knew I always wanted to get a tribute tattoo but waited until I was older to get it, until I caught a fish that was worth inking. I went to the tattoo shop after catching my first blue marlin and rushed into it without shopping around and speaking with other tattoo artists. It is NOT a good tattoo. But that’s also why I love it because I can laugh at it every time I catch a glimpse of it in the mirror.
Everyone grieves in their own way and this is a phrase I’ve heard pretty much on repeat over the past month. I haven’t typed out these words yet because it almost seems too surreal, but I lost my mom suddenly 4 weeks ago. She went to the hospital on Sunday afternoon and by Friday morning I was holding her hand as she took her last breath. People keep asking me if I’m okay and as a side note, we need to find a new way to ask this question. No, I’m not okay. Will I be okay? Sure. In time. But I’m really not okay right now. I’m just using work as a healthy distraction. And I have the world’s happiest baby at home, a 10-month old boy who doesn’t stop laughing.
I don’t think I expected to go off rambling like this in an article about Shaq’s son getting a Kobe tribute tattoo but that’s how my grief has been showing up. Anytime I’m driving around by myself, or caught alone with my thoughts, that’s when all of the emotions come rushing to the surface. And I have to say that I appreciate all you loyal BroBible readers out there who have reached out via Twitter after my mother suddenly passed away. I probably didn’t respond because at some point it got too hard to keep saying ‘thank you for your kind words’ to everyone in my life but trust that I saw your message and it was appreciated.
