All João Coelho Guimarães wanted was a trim but thanks to Padoo fashion store and barber service, he met up with his family who had presumed him to be dead before this.
We often see people living on the streets and can't help but wonder the circumstances that brought them there. They must have had a whole other life and a family before they had to experience homelessness. A kind word and sharing a meal with them could go a long way. But the people of this Brazilian barbershop went above and beyond for a homeless man. All João Coelho Guimarães wanted was a trim but the shop decided to give him a complete makeover instead. Their act of kindness set off even better things for Guimarães, whose transformation went viral and he was even able to reunite with his family.
Guimarães, 45, has been living without a roof over his head for nearly three years in Goiânia, Brazil. His family had presumed him to be dead for a decade. In the midst of the pandemic last year, Guimarães went up to the people of Padoo, a men's fashion store and barber service, asking for a razor to trim his beard. Alessandro Lobo, the owner of the store initially asked him if he would like food but all he wanted was a razor. "That’s when we had the idea and everyone who was at the store decided to help him in a different way, providing him with a day of beauty," Lobo stated, as per Daily Mail.
Guimarães, Lobo, and the people at Padoo had developed a friendship over two months. "We decided to help him because we saw the extreme need he had," Lobo explained. "And when he asked us for a razor, we welcomed him and gave him the full experience.” In a makeover that took over two hours, the barbershop gave him a haircut, trimmed his beard, and washed him up. They even gave him three shirts, a pair of pants, a jacket, and new shoes as well. Guimarães was completely transformed and was very touched by the results. Although he did not express it in many words, his tears said it all.
Lobo could see the surprise and gratitude Guimarães felt. "We were surprised to see that he was also beautiful on the outside, not only in,” he said. The barbershop shared pictures of the amazing transformation on social media. The pictures went viral but what Lobo or the people of Padoo did not expect was that Guimarães' family would find him through them. Guimarães' mother and sister recognized him from the viral pictures and reached out to the business and Lobo helped them track him down. They thought he had been dead for 10 years.
Just before Christmas, his sister and mother came to the store and walked around the neighborhood until they found Guimarães. The heartwarming moment of the family's reunion was captured as well. Despite being delighted to reunite with his family, Guimarães decided he would not be moving in with his family. "João is still on the streets. His sister wanted to welcome him and take him home, but he didn’t want to. He said that on the streets, he feels free. That’s why he didn’t want to go home," Lobo said, according to the Daily Mail. In an Instagram post, he wrote, "We thank God and all of you for making us instruments of this exciting moment. 2020 was a year of many losses for loved ones around the world and in the midst of all this a [relief] for this family."
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Image Source: Getty Images (Representative)
