After the tragedy on Feb. 14, some Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students and teachers needed a meaningful way to remember this day and those they lost. A peaceful and artistic way they could remember their friends and teachers was to get a tattoo.

Students created their own tattoo designs and even designed some for their friends in remembrance of the day to keep their fallen classmates close. Junior Taylor Ferrante-Markham’s tattoo displays the word “Love” in cursive with the letter “L” in the form of a red ribbon. There is also a “17” below the world “Love” to remember the 17 victims.

“I knew many people that passed,” Ferrante-Markham said. “The tattoo is meant to keep love for them even though they aren’t with us.”

Senior Rebecca Bogart was a student that was directly impacted by the shooting. She along with her classmates were in freshman building in room 1214. After the shooting, she had a tattoo put on the right side of her upper back to remember the individuals lost on that dreadful day. The tattoo is two angel wings with a “17” between them and a halo above the number. The words “Fly High” are displayed above the wings and the date appears “2-14-18” below all of it.

“The two angel wings represent Nick and Helena, the two students who were in my class when they got shot, [and] a 17 for the 17 who passed that day,” Bogart said. “‘Fly High’ because we are Eagles, and the ones we lost will fly high in heaven; I’m always an Eagle.”

These tattoos filled with meaning will continue to serve as a reminder to the survivors to live a courageous and bold life in honor of the 17 victims. To these students, this is not only an act of great magnitude, but also a step of healing for those who survived and have to live with this tragedy.