Man with Memory Disease Forgets Brother Who Paid for Hair Cuts Died, Barber Does It for Free

By Sarah Carri March 13, 2019 at 1:01pm

“Some things are better than money.” These are the words of a barber who understands the meaning of kindness.

Marlo Matthews is a barber who lives in Memphis, Tennessee. There is an assisted living facility right next door to the barbershop where he works.

Matthews shared a touching story in 2016 that will surely warm your heart.

On June 22, 2016, he posted a photo of an elderly gentleman sitting in his barber shop, waiting for a haircut. According to the Facebook post, the man is Mr. Earl.

“He has a memory disease that if u tell him something today he forgets,” Matthews wrote. “So, if u tell him again tomorrow it’s like new information to him.”

That would certainly be frustrating for Mr. Earl and anyone who knows him. Thankfully this man had a brother who always made sure he was taken care of.

“His brother used to come to the shop and pay me every week to cut his hair,” Matthews explained. “Then later mr. earl would come and ask me did his brother pay me so he can get a cut.”

Matthews and Mr. Earl had a routine. “I would always say, ‘Yes, sir, your debt is already paid,” Matthews said.

According to Men’s Hairstyles Today, the average cost of a man’s haircut is around $28. Of course, depending on your location and what you’re looking for, that price can go up quite a bit.

Sadly, Mr. Earl’s brother passed away five years before the post was shared on Facebook. Matthews said Mr. Earl has no memory of this.

So, Mr. Earl would still go into Matthews’ shop, expecting a haircut, relying on his brother to pay the debt ahead of time.

Matthews could have gently reminded Mr. Earl that his brother had died and sent him on his way. Instead, he did something much better.

“I ALWAYS STILL SAY YES SIR, YOUR DEBT IS PAID and cut his hair,'” Matthews wrote. “I know mr. earl brother is in heaven looking down watching out for us. THATS PAYMENT ENOUGH.”

What a sweet story about compassion. We could all take a cue from Marlo Matthews. His big heart has surely made a huge impact on Mr. Earl’s life.

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Community, Elderly, Family

Sarah Carri

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Sarah Carri is an avid reader and social media guru with a passion for truth and life. Her writing has previously been published in print and online by Focus on the Family and other well known media outlets. Her experience in ministry and Disney entertainment gives her a unique perspective on such topics.

Sarah's experience as a successful working stay-at-home mom and business owner has given her the chance to write and research often. She stays up to date on the latest in entertainment and offers her views on celebrity stories based on her wide knowledge of the industry. Her success as a former preschool teacher and licensed daycare provider lend to her know-how on topics relating to parenting and childhood education.

Her thoughts on faith and family issues stem from home life and ministry work. Sarah takes time to attend workshops and classes annually that help her to improve and hone her writing craft. She is a graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature program and her writing has been acclaimed by ACFW and ECPA.

Education

Institute of Children's Literature, Art Institute of Phoenix (Advertising), University of California Irvine (Theater), Snow College (Early Childhood Education)

Location

Arizona

Languages Spoken

English

Topics of Expertise

Entertainment, Faith