Kat Von D became a household name after starring in the tattoo reality show Miami Ink, and later went on to star in her own show LA Ink. With a reported net worth of $14 million, Von D's life began humbly enough…so how did she get where she is today? One thing's for sure: Katherine von Drachenberg has come a long way. She was born on March 8th, 1982, in the tiny town of Montemorelos, Mexico. The daughter of Argentinian immigrants, she spent her early years with no running water or electricity. In an article she wrote for PopSugar, Von D revealed: "My Dad came from a long line of missionary doctors, and when it became evident that Montemorelos was in need of a hospital, that became his mission." Elsewhere in the article, Von D writes: "One of my first memories as a kid was running around barefoot on the packed dirt we had for floors...And, in fact, one of my favorite photos from our family album is one of me taking a bath in a plastic bucket! Let's put it this way, in this town, you were more likely to see a horse than you would a car." Kat was clearly fond of that time in her life. In a post on her Instagram page, she wrote: "The handful of memories from the time we lived there are few, but vivid. But I can confidently say they were some of the happiest times of my life." Watch the video for more about the stunning transformation of Kat Von D! #KatVonD #LAInk #Makeup Her roots | 0:24 Coming to America | 1:36 The tattoos scared her parents | 2:50 She started tattooing at 14 | 3:59 Her big break | 4:44 Becoming a beauty icon | 5:34 Returning to Cali | 6:24 A life-changing decision | 7:19 A world record | 8:10 She went vegan | 8:56 Tying the knot | 9:41 Having children | 10:33 Criticism and controversy | 11:02 Tattoos forever | 11:54