A 12-year-old burn victim recently went viral after a talented barber gave him a new, full head of hair.
The children who visit Mr. Oliveira for a hair procedure are usually shy, quiet, and with low self-esteem. To lighten the tension and to make these children feel at ease, Mr. Oliveira makes sure to show off his own wig. He says, this also helps him identify with the children.
One of the beneficiaries of the João Project is 12-year-old Guilherme, the victim of a house fire that left him bald at age 3. The fire left his head severely burned, making any future hair growth impossible.
Guilherme’s Transformation
Mr. Oliveira regularly shares makeover videos on his Instagram page, @franciscoprotesecapilar. The viral video of Guilherme’s hair makeover shows the creative barber carefully doing his work on the boy’s head. And the life-transforming result has touched many hearts.At the end of every session, the barber says, the entire room is often filled with joyful smiles and teary emotions, with everyone going through intense feelings.
Each of the barber’s hair pieces is made from a silicone base and 100 percent human hair. Mr. Oliveira’s studio purchases these pieces from a seller. In the procedure, which lasts about three hours, the staff cuts and molds them according to the child’s desired hairstyle. Mr. Oliveira says at-home maintenance must be performed every 15 days after the procedure, and the hairpiece must be exchanged for a new one once a year.
After his transformation, Guilherme is seen beaming with joy as he admires his reflection. His family and other onlookers stand around him, sharing the same joy. Hugs and ear-to-ear smiles are exchanged.
When Mr. Oliveira asked Guilherme how he felt about his hair, he had a simple and heartfelt response. “Feliz,” the boy said, which means “happy” in Portuguese.
Watch the video:
Mr. Oliveira remarks that all the children “leave here with a glow and a smile on their faces.” No wonder, Guilherme, too, left the studio that day with a bounce in his step.
The joy in the studio that day didn’t stop there. It went to the far corners of the world, touching hundreds of thousands. The video has been viewed by millions of people, and commenters have been vocal in showing their support.
“Everyone deserves to have high self-esteem. And this boy got it again! It was sensational,” one commenter said in Portuguese.
The Project Goes On
The passionate barber remarked that the João Project children have taught him to move through life with a smile on his face. He described these children as “genuine and affectionate,” adding that nothing can match the feeling he experiences after blessing them with new hair.Named after the first child served, the João Project has helped 36 youngsters so far. Each child has their own story to tell, but every one of them has experienced “some type of accident or trauma.” Most of the children are victims of alopecia or cancer. According to Mr. Oliveira, the children’s suffering has only made them stronger.
Thanks to the internet, Mr. Oliveira is blessing far more people than the 36 children he has served.
“People are very touched by the stories and understand that children’s hair makes a difference,” he said.
