Hairstylists can work miracles. They can save overprocessed hair, breathe new life into limp and fine hair, and even spruce up blah locks.
Hairstylists also can change a person’s life in the most unexpected way.
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Some stylists joke that they double as therapists. They know more about their clients’ personal lives than some of their clients’ own spouses.
Illinois hairstylist Sara Verkuilen spruces up her clients’ hair and their day one strand at a time. But one particular client stood out in her day.
An older couple strolled into her shop in December before the coronavirus pandemic swept across the country. Sara hadn’t worked with them before, but thought they were “really cute together.”
“He was so sweet with her and obviously very in love.”
Sara made a few adjustments to her hairstyling routine, such as moving the woman’s chair so she and her husband could see each other. She made sure the woman was thrilled with the final hair cut.
Three months later, Sara learned just how much of an impact her small gestures and makeover for the elderly woman truly meant to the couple.
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The woman’s husband penned a poignant letter to Sara, thanking her for everything she’d done for his wife. He shared that the love of his life had dementia and her new hair cut courtesy of Sara preoccupied her every day.
“She felt so pretty. She visited the mirror in her bathroom several times during the day and would come out beaming.”
He complimented Sara on her demeanor toward his wife and her handling of their special situation.
“…you treated her as if you’d been working with dementia patients all your life. You let us sit next to each other, and when it came time for her cut you turned her chair towards me so I could watch her expression as you cut her hair. It turned out even better than I thought it would.”
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What Sara could never have known is that their excursion to her hair salon was the highlight of the woman’s last few months on Earth before she passed away in March.
“…that haircut was one of the last, best moments of her life. To see her so happy was priceless. Looking back, it was likely one of dozens of haircuts you gave that day. But one which revitalized a woman’s sense of self and her singular beauty. I hope you always realize the power of your profession. It’s so easy to take things like that for granted.”
The anonymous letter was signed by “a grateful customer.” Sara was floored after reading the letter.
“It’s crazy how something so routine in my life could have such a positive impact on someone else’s. Receiving this letter was a huge reminder why I do what I do. It’s an amazing feeling seeing someone look in the mirror after a transformation and smiling. Seeing how beautiful they feel, how confidence levels change.”
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But it’s an extremely difficult career, Sara noted. She shared that she gets “burnt out easily.”
“I hope this letter can restore faith in other stylists that are maybe doubting if this career is right for them. We touch more than hair and I hope all the stylists out there realize how important they are and how what we do can have such an impact on our clients.”
Sara pointed out that she has no experience in working with dementia patients. But her goal is to make sure every customer who sits in her chair is treated with “basic human respect.”
“My advice for other stylists would be to just treat them as you would any other client. Sometimes things take a little longer and it’s tough in our career because time is money but hairstylists are a special breed of people. We often do it for the passion more than the money.”
Sara and many other hairstylists had been out of work for some time due to the coronavirus and this uplifting note was perfectly timed to perk her up at a low point.
“The company I work for went bankrupt and almost closed my salon forever so it was a wild rollercoaster of emotions. Luckily I had a family friend take me into her salon for a few weeks until my salon opened back up. I was also able to get unemployment before that.”
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She shared the heartfelt letter on social media and people’s responses were equally heartwarming.
“This is so magical and special.”
“We don’t know what our clients are going through in their lives or what they don’t tell us. That’s why it’s important to treat with kindness and be the best version of what we can be.”
What a beautiful moment Sara shared with this couple and how touching that she had such an impact on the woman before she passed away. Such an incredible story!
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