COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Taylor Clinch has always been one to lend an ear when people need to talk. “I really like knowing people’s stories and I like helping heal,” she said. “That’s like my favorite thing to do.”

So a few years ago, she mixed those two passions together and decided to help others write their stories as a tattoo artist.  

“I was working in maternal fetal medicine before I became a tattoo artist, but now I’m here and it’s nice being on the healing aspect of things. A little more lighthearted,” she explained. “I was designing tattoos all the time so eventually I was like, why don’t I just try to become a tattoo artist? So, I mean, I’ve been doing it for about three years now.” 

Taylor grew up in New Jersey and knew the story, well really the legend, of Johnny Gaudreau. And now, she also knows the tragedy. “I’m a hockey fan. Hockey runs in my family, my two brothers are hockey players,” she said. “That hit me so incredibly hard. I remember I went home and I sat down and yeah I cried. I was devastated.” 

Months later, unexpectedly, Taylor became part of the next chapter. A new client booked an appointment with a unique caveat: She wanted a tattoo with her late husband’s ashes mixed into the ink. The client was Johnny’s widow, Meredith.

“Originally when she reached out to me, I have an assistant who does all my bookings so I don’t really notice people’s names or their like, personal information. I just kind of see what they’re inquiring about and that’s it,” Taylor said. “So we had her scheduled and she reached out again mentioning who she was and what her story was and that’s when I was like, ‘Oh, okay wow this is my first time doing a tattoo like this. Let me dive in with the research.’”

Taylor said there wasn’t a lot of scientific study regarding the use of ashes in tattoo ink. She did reach out to a dermatologist to try to learn all she could.

“Ashes are a sterile subject in themselves. You’re not introducing any type of bacteria to the process,” she explained. “There are some companies that will do like a whole molecular process of infusing the ashes in the ink together, and then they’ll send back the bottle of ink to the person. She didn’t want to do that just because she felt uncomfortable doing that. You know, she’s like, I’m sending something like this to a place I don’t know. Like, it just didn’t sit right with her. So, yeah, I mean, really ashes already come ready to start the tattoo process. I mean, there’s like some little things that I have to do to prepare for it. But yeah, we just did all of that in studio.”

Taylor completed two tattoos for Meredith: One on her left ring finger that says, “forever.” Another on one of her forearms with the names of hers and Johnny’s children: Noa Harper and Johnny Edward.

“She is just so down to earth and so bubbly,” Taylor said when sharing the experience of working with Meredith. “In the moment I feel like I was trying to rein my emotions in. I was like this isn’t about me! I can’t get emotional right now! She was really happy, though. She was just really happy and excited and already talking about more tattoos in the future. Overall it seemed like a really healing experience for her. Like a very peaceful experience.” 

Since then, Taylor’s life has been anything but peaceful. She debated for a while whether to post any photos of the work to her social media – that is, after all, how Meredith found her originally and how she shows her work to potential clients. Eventually, with Meredith’s blessing, she did post the photos, and the first comment on her Instagram post is from Meredith Gaudreau: “Obsessed with them. Perfectly done by the best and coolest girl.” 

“Her and I have been talking a lot, and she’s just hyping me up and she’s so happy and I think that just like validated me to be happy about it,” Taylor said. “It feels like I’ve kind of found my place in the industry now. It feels like I’ve found my home of liking to know people’s stories and helping them heal.”