Sam Hollyday's News: Hairdresser Posts Alarming Photograph Of Client To Raise Awareness For Domestic Violence

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Hairdresser Posts Alarming Photograph Of Client To Raise Awareness For Domestic Violence

This world is overflowing with good-hearted, kind people who make it their life mission to help others. These secret superheroes come in all shapes and professions, from firefighters to doctors, to shopkeepers and street cleaners – often popping up in the places you’d least expect to see them.

While the world is too busy applauding celebrities for their brave actions, there are few that take notice of those ‘ordinary’ people that come to the rescue. But they are out there, lurking in the shadows listening for the signal. One person who didn’t miss his chance to help was Connecticut-based hairdresser Andy Mendoza, who sprung into action after a young woman with a horrific story walked into his salon. The woman, known as Chelsea, had been severely injured by her boyfriend after he launched an attack on her in their home. Suspecting her of having cheated on him, Michael Truskauskas beat and strangled Chelsea before throwing her down the stairs “like a rag doll” and threatening her with a knife. The enraged 22-year-old also manically cut away her hair claiming that “she can’t be a whore if she didn’t have nice hair.” Police became aware of the shocking incident after they were alerted to a woman sleeping in her car in a parking lot in Torrington, Connecticut. Arriving at the scene, they found Chelsea with both eyes blackened and cuts and bruises on her face – in fact, she was so badly injured by the attack that her own mother didn’t recognize her. Despite it being clear that she’d been involved in a disturbance, she was initially unwilling to tell officers what had happened to her. Eventually, they learned the truth, for Chelsea’s boyfriend of a year and a half already had a murky history of violence. Michael was later arrested and held on a $100,000 bond, leaving Chelsea free to move on with her life and seek a fresh start. To do so, she began by rectifying her hair. Visiting Andy – who jokingly asked if she’d been in a fight – Chelsea recounted her horrific ordeal. Appalled by the story, Andy set to work. “So today I received a visit from a beautiful soul who went through an awful experience,” he wrote on his Instagram page. “A coward tried to take her life and in the process cut and pulled her hair out,” the barber continued. “As I cut her hair, we talked and I couldn’t help but notice how nice she was, and how much she did NOT deserve what happened to her. No woman ever deserves this!” he wrote to his 180,000 followers, before adding: “My mother was a victim of abuse, and I remember it vividly! SPEAK UP AND TELL SOMEONE!” Andy’s empowering message was accompanied by several before and after photos of Chelsea, showing her incredible transformation. “She gave me permission to share her images, and wants to let everyone know, ‘she is happy to be alive’.” Andy finished the post by pleading his followers to help end domestic violence – an extremely prominent issue which affects 20 people every minute in the United States, according to national statistics. “Guys PLEASE if you or someone you know is suffering from domestic ABUSE do not hesitate to contact someone for help.” Chelsea now sports an empowering buzz cut which disguises her past trauma, and we think she looks sensational! It’s certainly going to be difficult to forget what happened to her, so we wish Chelsea the best of luck – although, with the confidence she appears to radiate with her shaved ‘do, it appears she is on the right path. Hairstylists are transforming people’s hair on a daily basis, and with that new style comes renewed confidence. Check out this young girl who was so severely depressed that she hadn’t brushed her hair in months. She asked her hairdresser to just “shave it all off”, but she didn’t. The results are stunning…