Heartwarming video of barber, child sharing special haircut goes viral

CINCINNATI (WLWT) - A barber in Cincinnati is giving free haircuts for kids with special needs.

And a heartwarming video of one of those cuts, showing a fun bonding moment, has gone viral.

Ellison Eubanks, 7, recently visited barber Vernon Jackson.

Ellison has Down syndrome and has been through three open-heart surgeries. His family said he has an infectious smile and he loves to laugh. However, he does face daily challenges, including getting a haircut.

“My husband and I both would kind of play rock-paper-scissors on who gets to take Ellison to get his hair cut because we both knew what we were in for,” Ellison’s mother Julie Eubanks said.

But that’s before Ellison and his family found out about GIFTED, an initiative started in 2021 to give kids with special needs free haircuts.

And Ellison’s haircut experience with Jackson went viral on social media with a video recorded by the boy’s mother.

“We were laughing as if we’d been friends for 20 years. So, that’s a good, good spirit connection,” Jackson said.

Ellison’s mother said it was a proud moment watching her child get through what has been a difficult time with Jackson’s help.

“That’s why at the end of most of my haircuts we are giving high-fives and fist-bumps,” Jackson said. “And some of the best moments we are giving hugs.”

The haircuts are free for parents and paid for by donors through a GoFundMe fundraiser, where more than $13,000 has currently been raised.