BES third grader donates Locks of Love

MyKayla Dennix A Buffalo third grader could teach adults a thing or two about sacrifice. MyKayla Dennix’ mother Ange was surprised when her daughter recently asked if she could cut her waist-length hair. “As you might guess, my first answer was a resounding NO. You see, my beautiful baby girl was completely bald ‘til she was three, and it took us so long to get it as long as it is,” Ange pointed out. But MyKayla was determined to follow through with her idea. She calmly explained that she had heard of Locks of Love, an organization that provides wigs for kids who have lost their hair due to disease. When Ange asked her daughter why she wanted to participate, the answer brought tears to the mother’s eyes. “She informed me that she wanted to do something to help her third grade teacher, Ms. Morman. As she could not think of a thing to help her but pray, she was going to do this in her name so that she would know just how much she meant to her and the rest of her students.

Leslie Morman was di- agnosed with breast cancer earlier in the year, and her students have been acutely aware of her struggle. Obviously, they are learning much more than the Three R’s this year. Additional lessons include compassion, empathy, and commitment and perseverance.

Ange concluded, “We try and raise our children to be better people than we are -- to care for their fellow man or woman. As you have your 900th fight with them about something they just HAVE to HAVE, you wonder if you are doing any good... then one of them comes to you with a request like this. It makes you take a step back and look at your own life and wonder what YOU have done to help someone lately. The simple act of cutting your hair can help.”

Perhaps MyKayla’s action will inspire a few more ‘random acts of kindness’ in our community. As my daddy used to say: “That wouldn’t hurt nothin’.”