Ink-redible recovery as Westbury man is crowned best newcomer at tattoo show

WESTBURY man Lee Tilley, who spent the last two years recovering from life threatening complications following catching Covid-19, has just been crowned the Best Newcomer at Great Western Tattoo Show at the STEAM museum in Swindon.

Lee has come a long way in the past two years as the last time The White Horse News reported on him, he was recovering from sepsis and pneumonia after contracting Covid-19 that also saw his left arm paralysed due to a stroke he had when he was in an induced coma.

Having gained the use of his arm back thanks to the hard work of the NHS physio teams at Warminster Hospital, Lee started working part time back at the local tattoo studio, Studio Ink. While Lee had three years of tattoo experience before this, he had to learn how to tattoo from scratch again following the stroke and was allowed to enter into the Best Newcomer category at the tattoo show.

“When I first tried to use the tattoo machine again, I instantly knew everything was wrong,” he explained. “I couldn’t tell how or where I needed to hold the machine anymore and I tried to tattoo a small design on fake skin, but the results were appalling; it looked like a three-year-old’s nursery drawing.

“With the help of my good friend Marc Nutley who is a co-worker and owner of Studio Ink Tattoo in Westbury we worked tirelessly until I learned how to use the machine again; from there I then had to practice constantly until we felt I could tattoo on a real canvas again. Once feeling ready I got some friends and acquaintances to allow me to do small tattoos on them and again I did this until we felt I was good enough to take on proper clients.

“My mental health was all over the place following all the medical problems and during recovery I then found that I had PSTD and depression – I cannot believe I have made it back from the living hell I have been through. It’s onwards and upwards from here now though as things can only get better again. I still need lots of hospital appointments and I’m still classed as being in recovery, but my grit and determination will always be strong.”

Lee says he was “completely shocked” when he was announced as the Best Newcomer and added that the hard road to recovery was worth it when he was revealed as the winner.

He added, “To be honest I was up against some great younger newcomer artists so didn’t think I stood a chance. I was actually cleaning down and packing my equipment away when my name was called as I didn’t go to the stage as I had not even thought I’d maybe win an award and not at my very first convention.

“Getting the award made me realise all the hard work trying to recover and getting over the mental health issues was worth it, I could have easily just sat there feeling sorry for myself and not bothered to get my arm working again or learning to walk again for last couple of years but that’s not me; I think that would have made my mental health even worse. I needed something to focus on and this was it!”

A fundraising appeal was set up to help Lee’s family when he was in the intensive care unit as Lee’s partner Karen also contracted Covid-19 and was at home caring for their two sons Dalton and Alex as well as daughter Josselin who has complex needs.

Lee added, “I also want to thank the White Horse News readers for their support over the years – our family really appreciates it.”