Community rallies around tattoo artist paralyzed by rare infection
By Beth Carlson
Click here for updates on this story
OMAHA, Nebraska (KETV) — The Omaha community rallied Sunday to support renowned tattoo artist Katie Martin, who was left paralyzed from the collarbone down after a rare spinal infection.
Several businesses in Little Bohemia organized the fundraiser to aid Martin on her long road to recovery. Friends of Martin said she has made a permanent mark on Omaha through her art, and now they are working to make an impact on her life after her illness took away her ability to create tattoos and art.
“I couldn’t imagine doing this without my family, my community,” Martin said. “People wearing my T-shirts and getting my tattoos in the past and everything, like, the support system has just, like, kept me thriving and alive.”
While enjoying music or buying her art, attendees supported Martin as her friends organized the event following the sudden onset of her illness.
“More of a rare spinal infection kind of happened, and they’re still not sure exactly how this came about, but it was like an overnight thing,” Martin said.
In the four months since her diagnosis and as she has begun rehabilitation, Martin said her community has been instrumental in her progress.
“I feel good, you know, taking my wins as they come. So I can move my fingers now. I just started wiggling my toes, which is an astronomical achievement at this point. I can wiggle my knees a little bit. So I’m on a mission to walk again and get through this and kind of see why all this happened,” Martin said.
Though her future remains uncertain, Martin said her love for art and the people she shares it with is unwavering.
“That’s all I kind of expect from my life going forward is as long as I’m doing art, I’m going to be happy, and we’ll feel excited about all of it,” Martin said.
Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.