Politics
Gabby Petito supporters get matching Let It Be tattoos in touching tribute after her family get same ink in her memory
AFTER Gabby Petito’s parents debuted “Let it be” tattoo tributes to their late daughter, some inspired supporters are getting the same ink.
“Getting it done in [sic] just a few.. waiting for my tattoo guy to come [thru],” read a post in a forum dedicated to Gabby Petito’s memory.
gabspetito/InstagramGabby Petito’s “Let it be” tattoo and “believe” in script inspired not only her parents but supporters[/caption]
APIn September, both of Gabby’s parents, Nicole Schmidt and Joe Petito showed off their right forearms fit with “Let it be” tattoos to keep their daughter with them “all the time”[/caption]
The September 30 photo of the underside of a left wrist included a series of hashtags: #RipGabby, #didnotknowherbutwillalwaysremberher, #JusticeForGabby and then ended with a question:
“Why couldn’t [Brian] just let her be..”
‘ALL THE TIME’
In September, both of Gabby’s parents, Nicole Schmidt and Joe Petito showed off their right forearms fit with “Let it be” tattoos and ocean crest.
They also received a “believe” tattoo in script brimming over with flowers.
For them, it was a way to keep the 22-year-old Long Island native with them “all the time.”
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MIXED REACTION
The showing of solidarity with Gabby by duplicating the same ink riffing off the Beatles hit song, Let it Be, was convincing others to the same while rankling some.
“I love this,” reads one response. “I’ve thought about getting it done too.”
Read our Gabby Petito live blog for the very latest news and updates…
Some are Beatles fans but see no harm in getting inked to pay respects to Gabby.
“It’s actually a really beautiful tattoo,” one person offered.
“I thought about getting it… It would remind me of Gabby, but that’s not why I would get it.
“Whatever someone’s reasoning is, it’s their own.”
But the majority of 750 comments met the idea with discord.
“Only family or her close friends should be getting tattoos in memory of her,” one commenter wrote. “Especially her own personal tattoo… I get it’s a song but when you say your getting it for gabby is just odd.”
‘WRONG AND DISRESPECTFUL’
Some scolded the effort as an insult to Gabby’s grieving family.
“Bro, if I were Gabby’s mother and I found out complete strangers were replicating her tattoo to “remember” her, I would be PISSED! Like hunting your asses down to teach you a lesson about respect.”
“Seriously stop,” wrote the commenter. “How do you think her mother & parents would feel, as THATS THEIR WAY OF BEING CONNECTED to her.”
The person said the effort was offensive.
“It’s the last thing they have of her & you wanna go & ruin it by “adding yourself to their circle” ABSOLUTELY WRONG & DISRESPECTFUL!!”
A person who admitted getting the tattoo 10 years ago did so “because I was bullied really bad in school” and struggled with addiction.
The person didn’t agree with getting such a tattoo to pay respects to the late young woman.
“But I would never get “ let it be” in memory of gabby… unless I knew her personally,” the person confessed.
MISSING TO MURDERED
Gabby was last seen on August 24, 2021, checking out of a hotel with Brian in Salt Lake City, Utah.
When Gabby was first reported missing, photos of her tattoos were being shared as a way to confirm her identity.
Since Gabby’s remains were found on September 19 in the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming her distinct tattoos were used to verify the body as Gabby’s.
‘BELIEVE’
The “believe” and “Let It Be” tattoos serve as a somber reminder of Gabby’s faith, and the firm belief her parents professed in the early days of the search, that their daughter would come home.
The wave and flower tattoos signify Gabby’s appreciation of natural abundance.
Her love of nature was a central tenet of the young vlogger’s personality, and a pivotal force behind her decision to live the “van life” that had her trekking across the country to several national parks.
Gabby’s father Joe also sported a lefthand tattoo mimicking a set of two vines that wrapped around both her and Brian’s fingers
According to TattooSEO, vine tattoos represent loyalty and a desire to stick by someone’s side.
Last year, Brian posted a photo of himself and Gabby, which included the caption “Till death do us part or until I wake up, I’m so happy the answer was yes.”
Gabby Petito timeline
Gabby Petito, 22, was last seen on August 24, leaving a hotel in Utah. Here is a timeline of Gabby Petito’s disappearance:
June 2021 – Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie set off on a cross-country trip across the US.
July 4 – Gabby posts photos of herself barefoot in Gove County, Kansas.
July 8 – Gabby posts photos of herself at the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado.
July 18 – Gabby and Brian post photos of themselves at Utah’s Zion National Park.
August 12 – Body camera footage was released in September showing an encounter Brian and Gabby had with police in Utah. Police confirmed that no significant injuries were reported.
August 19 – Gabby and Brian post a video on their YouTube channel chronicling their trip.
August 24 – Gabby is spotted leaving a hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah.
August 25 – Gabby Facetimes her mom, Nichole Schmidt, for the final time. In a later police report, Schmidt said her conversations with her daughter revealed “more and more tension” between her and Brian.
August 25 – Gabby also posts her last Instagram. No location is given.
August 27 – Gabby is seen for what’s believed to be the final time. Witnesses claim they saw Brian in an explosive argument with staff at a restaurant in Jackson Hole, leaving Gabby in tears.
August 27 – Four hours later, travel bloggers driving through Grand Teton National Park drive past the couple’s van “abandoned” on a dirt road.
September 1 – Brian returns home to Florida without Gabby.
September 11 – Gabby’s parents report her missing to Suffolk County police.
September 14 – Brian’s family issues a statement saying he has retained an attorney and will not be cooperating with investigators.
September 14 – Brian is allegedly last seen by his family. He reportedly told them he was going hiking in Cartlon Reserve but failed to return.
September 15 – Florida’s North Port police announce Brian is a person of interest in the case. He is not charged with any crime.
September 16 – Utah police release body camera footage of the police encounter with Brian and Gabby.
September 17 – Brian’s parents say they have not seen their son in a couple of days and report him missing.
September 18 – Police announce they were searching Carlton Reserve in Florida for Brian. Police announce they have not found anything.
September 19 – Authorities in Wyoming say they found a body in Grand Teton National Park. The FBI announces the body was believed to be Gabby’s but a full forensic identification needs to be completed first to confirm.
September 20 – Police execute a search warrant on Laundrie’s home, seizing his silver Mustang and a hard drive that may contain “evidence relevant to proving that a felony has been committed.”
September 21 – Officials announce they will be conducting an autopsy on the remains found in Wyoming to confirm whether or not they belong to Gabby. Police also resumed their search for Laundrie, this time on the Venice side of Carlton Reserve.
September 21 – The FBI announced the body found in Wyoming was identified as Gabby’s. The cause of death was not yet revealed.
September 21 – The Teton County Coroner’s office said Gabby’s official cause of death was still pending but the initial manner of death is homicide.
September 22 – Police continue to scour Carlton Reserve for a trace of Laundrie but yield no leads. A specialist dive team is called in to assist with the hunt.
September 23 – Officials announced a federal arrest warrant for Brian was issued.
September 26 – Gabby’s funeral was held on Long Island, New York.
October 12: Gabby’s autopsy results were made public. Teton County Coroner Dr Brent Blue confirmed Gabby died by strangulation.
APGabby’s father Joe also sported a lefthand tattoo mimicking a set of two vines that wrapped around both her and Brian’s fingers[/caption]
Social Media – Refer to sourceLast year, Brian posted a photo of himself and Gabby with the caption “Till death do us part or until I wake up, I’m so happy the answer was yes”[/caption]
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