Mars Area boy donates hair to charity
MARS — Nine-year-old Jack Romig hasn’t had a haircut since 2019.
Though his first stretch of time without a trim sprouted from the closure of hair salons during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Jack has been growing his hair for over two years in order to donate it to a charity, Children with Hair Loss. The organization makes free wigs for children who have medical conditions that impact their hair.
“We went into the pandemic, and (by the time) the things opened up at all to be able to get haircuts, Jack had kind of become attached to his hair,” said his mom, Angela Romig. “We have a friend who is from England, and her son grew and donated his hair. Jack knows him very well, and he said ‘I want to do this too.’”
On Thursday afternoon, Sept. 1, Jack got his 11-and-a-half-inch locks braided and cut at the Social Club Barbershop in Mars. The hair will be packaged and donated to be made into a wig at no cost to its future recipient.
Having long hair has been fun for Jack, but also a challenge at times, his mother said.
“He is playing baseball this summer with Mars, and hats slide off his really long hair, because he won't put it in a ponytail,” Romig said. “We decided when he was rounding the bases at baseball practice and his hat flew off his head. We were like, yeah, it’s definitely time. The kids have seen him, and he’s ready to be able to put his helmet on and not have to put his hair out of his face.”
Jack is “proud” to be donating his hair to kids in need, Romig said. He has even inspired a friend of his to also start growing his hair long to donate.
“It’s a lot of brushing back and getting used to it, but he’s inspired kids,” Romig said. “It’s very cool.”
At the barber shop on Thursday, Jack detailed his plans for after the haircut: a visit to 7-Eleven to get his favorite flavor of Slurpee, a mixture of blue raspberry and Coca-Cola.
He’s excited for the convenience that having a shorter haircut will bring.
“I can finally sleep without getting my hair on the back of my neck itchy,” he said.
Jack also has a prank planned for his classroom and teacher once he returns to Mars Area Elementary School.
“I said there’s going to be a new student,” Jack said.
