Portsmouth boy bullied for long hair is donating it to kids with cancer

PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (WJAR) — A 12-year-old Portsmouth boy who spent the last few years growing out his hair for kids with cancer, and being bullied for it, will soon cut it.

Antone Silvia, who goes by A.J., has had long hair for most of his life.

In the fifth grade, his aunt, who is a hairdresser, suggested he cut it and donate it to kids with cancer.

Silvia agreed to do so.

Roughly 12 inches was donated to the charity, "Wigs for Kids."

• SHOW US SOMETHING GOOD: Community rallies behind Tiverton football coach who underwent heart transplant

The organization helps children suffering from cancer, alopecia and other forms of hair loss.

“When I donated it, it made me feel really happy that I was doing something good and making someone really happy, so I decided to do it again," said Silvia. “I decided as soon as I got my haircut that I wanted to do it again. I’m sure it makes them extremely happy and grateful that they have a beautiful head of hair."

Silvia said the maintenance to keep his hair long has been somewhat of a struggle, but it's worth it to know kids with cancer will benefit from it.

“I have to brush it every time I wake up, and before I go to bed, and every time I get out of the shower, in the shower I have to shampoo my hair and condition it," he said. "It's a lot."

At the time of his first donation, he had been attending elementary school and he said his classmates never really made any comments about it.

When he got to middle school, things changed.

He's currently in the eighth grade and hasn't had a haircut in about three years.

In order to donate it, it needs to be a certain length.

“I got a little bullied in the first two months of eighth grade but it died down, no one’s giving me any problems anymore," he said. “I remember some time in seventh grade I was actually considering just getting a haircut and not donating again because of how much I was getting bullied, but I decided to keep doing it because I knew if I did that, I would be being selfish and I didn’t want to do that."

NBC 10 asked Silvia how that would be "selfish."

"Because I would’ve been stopping the struggle for myself and forgetting about the kids who struggle every day with no hair themselves," he said.

His family helped him stick to the decision to grow out his hair.

“It was awful because I don’t want my child getting teased or tormented," said A.J.'s mom, Elizabeth Gagnon. "There were days when he would come off the school bus crying and it hurt me as his mom to see him going through that. At that moment when he was doubting if he was going to cut it and he was like, 'I’m just going to cut it, I can’t handle getting teased all the time for my hair, I’m just going to cut it,' I encouraged him like, 'You’re doing a really good thing, if you stick with it then I promise to cut my hair too.'"

• SHOW US SOMETHING GOOD: Wakefield's Jayd Bun receives best review, honored with Lego display from cute customers

Gagnon said she's always loved having long hair.

A.J.'s dad had long hair, and she's typically always kept hers longer than shoulder-length.

“Even though it would be a big change for me, too, I said, 'I’ll do it if you commit to keeping your hair long and seeing this through, then I will commit with you and I’ll cut my hair off too,'" said Gagnon.

Silvia said at times he would try to explain to his classmates why he was growing his hair, but many wouldn't listen.

That's when Gagnon said she posted to her town's Facebook page.

“I tried to get the word out there like, he’s doing this for a good reason, and it would be really nice if he would stop getting teased for it and that’s what kind of sparked this whole idea," said Gagnon. “We got such a great response from other community members, praising him for his courage and bravery and selflessness and doing such a good deed for others in the face of adversity."

A.J.'s hair is currently at the donation length.

He was planning to donate it in March and decided to extend the offer to anyone else looking to do so.

On March 4, A.J. is hosting a community hair drive at Stef's Salon and Spa located at 14 Potomac Road in Portsmouth.

From 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., by appointment, the salon is offering free haircuts for those with 8 inches or more, who are willing to donate their hair to benefit Wigs For Kids.

Currently, about seven people have signed up to donate their locks.

For every haircut, about two wigs are made.

“Even if it’s a small difference at least we’re helping to make a difference in someone’s life," Gagnon said.

Silvia plays basketball and takes mixed martial arts classes.

His dream is to become a member of the United States Navy to continue helping others.

'I'm excited to cut my hair, it is definitely going to be a big change," he said. “I just wanted more children that have no hair to get hair and be happy."