Humorous haircut helps Florida man prepare for brain surgery

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/Gray News) - A recent design by a barbershop in Tallahassee is proving a haircut can be uplifting to others as well as the one getting it.

James Smith had been having seizures for nearly eight years. According to WCTV, doctors never determined a cause, but after countless treatments, Smith said surgery was his last option.

“A lot of people go in there scared, and I was,” Smith said. “I was terrified, but laughter is the best medicine.”

In preparation for his upcoming surgery, Smith called Greg Picinic, the owner of Livin in the Cut barbershop, for a special design request. The design read “CUT HERE” over his ear, with an arrow pointing to where surgeons would make an incision during the surgery.

Smith said the main objective of the design was to make everyone, including his medical team, laugh, but it was also to help himself stay positive.

“You look in the mirror and I see that,” Smith said. “It reminds me that I can do this.”

Picinic has been cutting hair for two decades. He said every person that sits in his chair gives him an opportunity to hear their story and help them feel empowered when they walk out the door.

After hearing Smith’s story and his perseverance, Picinic felt as if the tables had turned.

“It actually made my day amazing,” Picinic said. “To come in, do that haircut and just see the way he approaches his life is absolutely amazing; it’s inspiring.”

Almost one month after a successful surgery, Smith is still healing but has a new mission.

“If I can inspire someone to find the humor in that bad situation, no matter what they’re going through,” Smith said. “You’ve got to be positive. There’s sunshine after the rain.”

Smith said he’s now living every day without fear of another seizure.

Copyright 2021 WCTV via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.