Quest Gulliford, a TikTok sensation and cancer survivor with a large tattoo collection, is causing waves with his viral video that exposes his bold dyed eyeballs in addition to his full body tattooing. It’s an astounding exhibition of individualism.
Successfully overcoming Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Gulliford has spent an incredible $70,000 on tattoos since starting his adventure in 2009. In his most recent TikTok video, he describes going through an eyeball tattoo, an experience that needed a great deal of mental preparation. It takes viewers on a visceral journey.
Gulliford stated, “It was definitely high risk, high reward, especially since I’ve wanted it done for so long,” in reference to the procedure’s high stakes. and after three years, I’m still really pleased with it.
He has spent over $70,000 on his distinctive style of self-expression, of which $10,000 is devoted to the modification of his eyes alone.
Gulliford acknowledged, “It took me a long time actually on the day once I walked into the shop to even psych myself up to get it done,” when describing the mental toughness needed on the day of the eyeball tattoo in Houston, Texas. In this non-traditional process, which is more like an injection or alteration than a normal skin tattoo, a needle is inserted into each side of the eyeball.
Unexpectedly, Gulliford disclosed that he intends to see the same tattoo artist the following month to improve his eye ink, demonstrating his dedication to pushing the limits of personal expression.
Among the many tattoos that cover his body, Gulliford proudly sports one that represents his successful fight against cancer. Every tattoo he has, from his first, a cross with the words “God First” on his chest, to his moving purple cancer ribbon commemorating his battle with Hodgkins lymphoma in seventh grade, narrates a tale of perseverance.
Gulliford recalled his health struggle that culminated in his tattoos, saying, “I had a big lymph node growing.” I didn’t give it much thought. It was chemotherapy for around half a year. After that, I felt as though I had superhuman strength.
In a 2019 interview with Inked, Gulliford revealed that when he first started getting facial tattoos at the age of 18, his mother wasn’t happy about it. Even though she finally came around to smaller face tattoos, her qualms were aroused as ink spread onto a larger canvas, leading her to intervene at tattoo parlors to try and discourage artists from doing larger facial tattoos.
Quest Gulliford’s unabashedly honest path of self-expression, characterized by victory over hardship, never fails to enthrall audiences, demonstrating that sometimes the most amazing tales are etched on our flesh.
An Aspiring Model With a 100-lb Leg Embraces Her Uniqueness and Wants to Show the World That Being Different Is Beautiful
Mahogany Geter, a 24-year-old aspiring model, was born with a rare condition that left her with a 100-lb leg. After a lifetime of facing difficulties, Geter’s life changed forever when she was offered a chance to model, starting her off on a journey of spreading the message of body positivity to others.
Bright Side found her story inspiring and a great example of how beauty can be found everywhere, and wanted to share Geter’s story of self-love with you.
She was born with a rare condition.
Mahogany Geter, a resident of Tennessee, was born with a rare condition that left her with a left leg that weighs 100 lb. The condition, known as lymphedema, can cause excess fluids to collect in the soft tissue of the body and lead to swelling. For Geter, her entire left side of the body is impacted by this, but only her leg is the most visible.
Geter was diagnosed with the condition right after she was born, and it made it extremely difficult for her to walk. “It drains my energy, of course, because it’s an extra 100 pounds,” she said. The condition makes her more susceptible to contracting fibrosis, and the only way to manage it is through physiotherapy and massages to drain the excess fluid in her leg.
She had a difficult time growing up.
The model talked about how she faced many difficulties growing up: “I’ve been through a very depressed state because you’re a little kid, and you have a bunch of grown adults staring at you.” She would receive many unwarranted comments from others and was teased throughout her childhood. “I will say it probably can affect you more mentally and emotionally,” she revealed.
“As a child, I never felt pretty. I felt ugly, like a freak of nature, and cried in private so many times,” said Geter. She had been suggested surgery by many doctors, but she turned it down every time, stating that in some other, more severe cases, surgery hadn’t completely gotten rid of the growth. Instead, she chose to accept herself as she was.
She began her modeling journey in 2017.
Geter’s life changed forever in 2017 when she was spotted by a photographer while she was working at Walmart. Initially thinking it was fake, the young woman eventually agreed to let the photographer take pictures of her. “I was like, ’I’m getting older now, maybe it’s time I start putting my full body out there,’ and hopefully me doing that can help somebody else,” she said.
This one opportunity catapulted Geter’s career as a model. Following this, she was featured in a viral YouTube video that amassed over 10 million views. Her presence on Instagram and other social media platforms has also increased. “Mainly, I’ve gotten a lot of positive responses, and the ones I like the most are that it helps people that also feel low about themselves,” she said.
She aims to help others embrace their unique bodies.
Despite her increased presence on the internet resulting in some Internet trolls, Geter has remained positive throughout, saying, “People have been so nice and supportive of me online. It isn’t all trolling and negativity.” She has remained consistent in spreading body positivity and encouraging others to be more comfortable in their bodies.
Geter is committed to her dream of becoming a model. “If I ever make it big, I want to buy my mother a house and take care of my family, then I’ll do everything I can to raise awareness of lymphedema to pay it back to everyone who has ever shown me kindness.” She continues to use her condition to inspire others to celebrate their differences as well.
Her journey has inspired many.
Although Geter’s journey has been hard, she has learned to accept herself and vows to spread this attitude to others. “For the longest, I felt so low about myself, but once I got older and with loads of support from the online lymphedema community and my mom who is my inspiration, I realized how beautiful I am. Not only looks, but as a person.”
What part of Mahogany Geter’s journey resonated with you the most? Do you have any advice for those that struggle to accept their bodies? Share it with us.
Preview photo credit lymph.goddess23 / Instagram, lymph.goddess23 / Instagram
Leave a Reply