Metchosin girl criticized for charity haircut responds with kindness
Keilah couldn’t have been more enthusiastic to start the day. The nine-year-old even woke up early so her mom could flat-iron her hair.
“I was feeling really excited to go to school and show everyone my new (haircut),” Keilah smiles.
The girl has been been growing her hair long for five years, before cutting most of it off to donate to a wig-making charity for children with cancer.
“I really hope they enjoy it,” she said earlier in the week, while holding her 15-inch lock of hair. “I hope it makes them happy.”
Keilah also raised more than $1,600 for the cause, after her Nana unexpectedly died from leukaemia.
“I think Nana is looking down from heaven,” Keilah’s mom Marina says with a smile. “And is so proud of her granddaughter.”
When Marina met her daughter after school the next day, she was looking forward to hearing how proud the other kids were about Keilah’s caring.
“I saw her get off the bus and I could immediately see her eyes were swollen,” Marina recalls. “She got inside the truck and she just started sobbing.”
Keilah said she’d been crying at school after a group of kids made fun of her and said her hair was ugly.
“It literally tore my heart apart,” Keilah says.
“The mama bear comes out,” Marina says of her reaction. “You just want to make it right for your child.”
So Marina shared her daughter’s story on social media, pleading with parents to talk to their kids about the impact of bullying and the importance of kindness.
She also mentioned what Keilah was considering.
“If this is how I feel — really bad — how do kids with cancer feel when they got bullied?” Keilah wondered. “It broke my heart.”
The post inspired hundreds of comments and thousands of shares. The overwhelming positive responses included generous gifts from local businesses, including a $100 gift card.
But the most meaningful message of all, Keilah says, is a video from a 4-year-old.
“Thank you Keilah. You are so beautiful,” Jaime says. “It means so much to us.”
His sister says her little brother has leukaemia. His mom says Jamie’s hair is just starting to grow back after receiving treatment and their family wanted Keilah to know how meaningful it was that she donated her hair.
“You are so beautiful,” Jamie says before the video ends.
“That really made my day,” Keilah smiles.
Keilah says she felt empowered going to school the next day, and even received apologies.
Now, she’s planning to pay the positivity forward, by using that gift card to buy toys for kids in the hospital cancer ward.
“I just want to,” Keilah says. “I feel like they deserve it.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Her fiance has been in prison for 49 years. She's trying to free him before it’s too late
She was lying in bed on a Thursday morning, thinking about the man she loved, hoping to win his freedom before time ran out.