A haircut changed the life of a homeless man the family believed dead for 10 years | Freedom

João Coelho Guimarães, 45, has lived on the streets of the Brazilian city of Goiâniade for three years, and his family believed that he had been dead for a decade. Recently, he entered a men’s clothing store and barbershop, where the owner and employees generously offered to cut him and dress him in new clothes.

When the images with Guimarães’ new appearance went viral, his family, shocked, managed to recognize him.

Guimarães had passed by the men’s clothing store and the barber shop called Padoo, taking boxes with him. But one day, he entered. Brazilian singer Alessandro Lobo, who owns the store, told UOL that Guimarães didn’t ask for too much when he entered.

He came over and I asked him if he was hungry and wanted to eat something. But he refused and asked if we had a razor to trim his beard.

Alessandro Lobo:

“Then I had an idea and everyone in the store decided to help in a different way, giving him a wonderful day,” said the owner.

The haircut that changed Guimarães’ life

The store employees cleaned him, cut his hair and trimmed his beard. Lobo also decided to offer him new clothes, and Guimarães received three shirts, pants, a jacket and a new pair of shoes.

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“He is a very shy person and only said a few words. But we noticed that he was satisfied and thanked us a lot,” added Lobo. When they finished, Guimarães not only looked well-groomed, but really beautiful, and Lobo and his team decided to post photos of its transformation in social networks.

It’s Christmas and the intention was to show that, with a little bit, we can change someone’s life.

Alessandro Lobo:

What was not expected was that the images with Guimarães would bring him closer to his family, who had believed him to be dead for 10 years.

“They saw the photo and contacted me, and since he has no telephone or fixed address, tomorrow we will go through the neighborhood to try to find him,” Lobo said on December 16.

The next day, video cameras captured the moment they found Guimarães and greeted him with a hug. Although, clearly, everyone was happy to be reunited, Guimarães did not move with his family.

João is still on the street. His sister wanted to take him home, but he didn’t want to. He said he felt free on the street. That’s why I didn’t want to go home. But now his family knows that he is alive and they take care of him as much as they can.

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