Carmen unveiled something that shocked the Breakfast team
Carmen’s epic reveal left us in shock - but the story behind it hit even harder!
In case you missed it (which clearly means you’re not loyal to East Coast Breakfast - rude), Carmen Reddy dropped a surprise bomb on Tuesday morning.
She got a tattoo.
Not a dainty little butterfly on her ankle. Not a tiny barcode on her wrist (Sky’s wild guess, for some reason), and definitely not something subtle.
No, Carmen came in with a bold half-sleeve Jesus piece - and it shook the studio.
Sky was speechless. Darren, well… he’s seen enough plot twists in his time that he just nodded like, “Yup, sounds like Carmen”, and even he wasn’t expecting this.
“I’ve been planning this for years.”
This isn’t Carmen’s first time under the needle. “My first tattoo was my granny’s name on my ribs that I got in Miami,” she told us. “Then I have my grandad’s name and a little gun tattoo.”
But this new one? It hits different.
“It’s something I’ve been planning for years. It’s actually an ode to my relationship with Jesus and my own spiritual connection to the Father,” she said.
Her voice softened as she opened up about the deeper meaning. This is where things got emotional.
A tribute to her gran and her faith
Carmen’s gran wasn’t just her grandmother, she was her caretaker, her anchor, and her only real motherly connection - and faith was a huge part of their relationship.
“She had a very specific image of Jesus at her prayer place, and she always spoke a lot about Him. So, for me, the connection between God and my granny is completely intertwined.”
In 2022, Carmen rushed to the hospital to see her. Sadly though, she arrived a few hours too late.
“It was extremely heartbreaking for me,” she shared. “But during that time, I just knew that this would be my next tattoo. Something in honour of her, and of my relationship with God.”
Finding the perfect artist
This wasn’t just a spontaneous decision or something off Pinterest. Carmen took her time.
She searched for the right image. She waited for the right moment, and eventually, she found the right artist.
Zunai from Inked by Zunai in Umhlanga.
“His work is spectacular, and I really trusted the piece he would do,” Carmen said. “I was nervous about the pain, but I was totally comfortable with him. You need to trust the person that’s drawing on your body forever, and Zunai’s been doing this for almost 20 years.”
So yeah, Carmen didn’t just show up with a cool tattoo. She showed up with a story.
One of love, loss, faith, and healing. One that now lives not only in her heart, but on her arm.
It’s a permanent reminder of the woman who raised her and the faith that grounds her.
And honestly? We’re not crying. You’re crying.
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