AHEAD of his first day at Enniskillen Royal Grammar School (ERGS) last Friday, Abraham Shiels faced the chop, cutting off 12 inches of his blond hair and donating them to charity.
The first year student from Kesh had been growing his hair for two and a half years. But with his first day at secondary school drawing closer, he knew the time had come for him and his long longs to part ways.
Following in the footsteps of his father, Abraham cut his hair last Thursday and donated his plait to the Little Princess Trust, a charity which provides real hair wigs free of charge to children across the UK and Ireland that have sadly lost their own hair due to cancer treatment and other illnesses.
“His father had grown his hair in the past and donated it, so I suppose he was inspired by him,” says his mother, Rachel.
“It must have been at least 12 inches long and it had to be plaited on the day he got it cut.
“It has been a bit of an adjustment for us all to get used to how he looks now without his long hair!
“Even now, a few days since getting it cut, he is still finding the difference and says he feels ‘light headed’!
“He has had to do a double take a couple of times when he catches his reflection in a mirror!”
According to his mother, Abraham was unrecognisable to his classmates at ERGS, some of whom he had attended primary school with previously.
“Abraham knows that his hair is going to a very good cause so he is very happy about that,” she adds.