A six-year-old boy with autism, who hates getting his hair cut, managed to have a calm experience at the barbers after his stylist adapted his technique.
Wyatt Lafrenière, from Canada, was with his mum Fauve Lafrenière, when he was pictured laying on a floor having his hair cut in a barber shop.
The touching story behind the snap was shared on the Love What Matters Facebook page on 10 October by the barber himself, Franz Jakob. He said Wyatt showed up at his shop in the first week he opened.
“He was my first child who had special needs and I figured out how to work with him by getting down to his level,” Jakob wrote on 10 October.
“These moments are very special for me. I’m taking great pride barbering here and my community is amazingly supportive towards my shop.”
Since the photo was taken, Jakob has continued to adapt his haircut experiences for children to suit their needs. He said many parents know to come to the shop near the end of the day, when it is quiet.
He said he usually starts by having sweets with the child and walks around the shop to look at everything on the walls.
“I’m never typically driving the haircut, I simply follow the lead of the child,” he explained. “It takes me more than an hour to finish with a special needs child. It is worth every minute.”
Wyatt’s mother, Fauve Lafrenière, said Jakob takes care of everything and she never has to get involved. They have continued to attend the same barbershop since the first haircut.
“It takes a load off my shoulders,” she told CBC Canada. “Usually hairdressers sort of panicked when they saw Wyatt arrive, so it was really exceptional to meet Mr Jakob.
“He welcomes him like his best friend. To see that he accepts these differences is just fantastic.”
In September 2015 there was a similar situation, where a barber travelled eight hours to cut the hair of a boy who had autism, because he wouldn’t let anyone else cut it.
Michael Flores, from the US, was consistently running away from the hairdressers until he found Freddy Tineo, who befriended the boy and cut his hair with no problem.
However the family, who were originally from New Jersey then moved to Virginia, which left Michael with no hairdresser.
Speaking to HuffPost UK, Michael’s mum Joan Flores, said: “Freddy has just made the trip here. It was his idea.
“He stayed for the day at our new house. We had a barbecue with family and friends. He traveled from New Jersey to Virginia. It is about an eight-hour drive. No words can properly express my gratitude.”
Now that’s dedication.
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