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Local Salon Changes Homeless Man’s Life
The Gift That One Salon Gave To This Struggling Man
Here is the Cinderella story of Jose Antonio, a man who has lived on the streets of Palma de Mallorca for the past 25 years. Making the streets his home and befriending every local, Jose was battling depression and searching for a job when a local salon owner approached him with an idea that would end up changing his life forever.
He Wasn’t Always Homeless
Jose didn’t always live the lonely life that he had grown accustomed to on the streets. He used to be an electrician, until his mental health and depression overcame him. He was forced to leave his job, and struggled to control the constant thoughts and anxiety in his head.
Battling Depression
He soon lost everything. Jose found himself with no job and no place to live. He was suffering so severely from depression that he didn’t know if he could continue living. The streets of Palma de Mallorca would be his home for the next 25 years.
Known To The Locals
Lucky for Jose, the locals were friendly and got to know him on a more personal level. Still, they could not give him the money and job that he so badly wanted. They nicknamed him Josete, and never forgot to give him a wave or say a quick hello whenever they saw him.
Parking Attendant
Jose didn’t let the fact that he was homeless cripple him from getting some type of work. He needed money to survive and knew he had to figure out something. He occasionally worked as an unlicensed parking attendant in the city, earning a few dollars here and there. It was enough for him to eat, barely.
Meeting Salva Garcia
The beloved Jose was 55 years old when he met Salva Garcia, the owner of a local salon called La Salvajeria. It was a hair salon that quickly made a name for itself when it opened in 2013. Salva was eccentric and fun. He had a long, wiry beard and a very outgoing personality.
The Offer
An idea popped into Salva’s head. He told Jose that he wanted to give him a free makeover, from his clothes to his hair. The only catch? Salva wanted to record the entire process on video.
His Answer
At first, Jose declined the offer. Salva had to ask repeatedly, every time he saw Jose on the street randomly. Finally, Jose decided it was a good idea and that he had nothing to lose. He hadn’t had a proper haircut in decades.
Not Wanting To See
As Jose sat in the salon chair that same day, he told Salva the story of his life and how he became homeless. Jose communicated how important first impressions are, and that he was looking forward to finally having the power to leave a good mark on someone else. He requested to have the mirrors covered, so that he couldn’t watch the process. “Leave the doors over the mirror open for the moment so I can see myself for the last time like this,” Jose asked, adding, “Then close them to see if when they open again, it’s as if something else really opened up in my life, like a symbol.”
How He Looked At The Start
When Jose first arrived at La Salvajeria, he had long, white hair and a straggly, unkempt beard. He was nervous when Salva and his female attendants started discussing the makeover. They were going to do a haircut, dye his beard and hair, and give him stylish new clothes.
The Haircut
The hairdressers started by pinning all of his hair on top of his head and cutting the longest locks off first. They also trimmed and cut his beard down so they could better see what they were doing. The rest of the cut would come after the dyeing of the hair.
Dyeing His Hair
Salva and his female employees decided on a natural dark brown color, because they imagined that was what Jose’s hair color probably was before he aged. His eyes were a deep brown, and they didn’t think blond was the right move.
Dyeing His Beard
Next, they trimmed and shaped his beard before they dyed it. The beard was thinner, and Jose’s face looked skinnier instantly. He had a really good face shape! He was already beginning to look so much younger.
Cleaning Up
After the haircut and the dye, it was time for the cleanup and finishing touches. They blow-dried his hair fully and combed out his beard. A male hairdresser shaved his neck line with a traditional sharp edge razor, to give him the finest and smoothest shave.
His Eyebrows
Yes, his eyebrows were touched up as well. They were wild and way too hairy! Jose’s eyebrows were plucked and tweezed to perfection to make them appear smaller and better shaped. It really completed his new look. All he had to do was change into his new designer clothes and then he could take a peek in the mirror…
New Designer Clothes
Jose took his new clothes into the bathroom to change. He put on a white, button-down collared shirt, slim fit red pants, and light gray sneakers. When he walked out, the hairdressers screeched with happiness! They ran up and hugged him, while Salva handed him a new pair of black Ray Bans.
The Big Reveal
It was finally time to look in the mirror at last. The employees uncovered them, and Jose looked at himself as a new man for the first time. He was 55, but he looked amazing! His brown hair color made him look young, and you could really see his face for the first time, without all of his shaggy hair. His response was so genuine and authentic, it made a few of the female employees tear up…
His Reaction
At first, he was at a loss for words. He didn’t say anything, but held his hands up to his mouth in shock. He was smiling a wide smile, and his eyes got watery. After a minute, he said, “My God, this is incredible, is this me? I’m so different, no one’s going to recognize me unless I tell them who I am!” He planned on testing that theory on the streets of Spain…
Changing His Perspective
When he walked out into the square, he seemed to act differently almost immediately. He had a fresh air of confidence about him and carried himself with a more graceful posture. “I have totally changed. It’s not me!” Jose said. He was ready to approach some of his favorite locals and see if they could tell who he was.
The Test To See Who Recognized Him
Looking like a stylish hipster, Jose approached some of the cafes and restaurants nearby where he had always camped out. The waitresses hollered and cheered for him. One even gave him a big double thumbs up! So it appeared that they recognized him, but some other locals did not…
What The Locals Said
One of Salva’s employees was videotaping the entire makeover, and the “test” in the streets afterwards. On camera, this man pulled up on his moped and said, “No! Josete?” in disbelief when he saw Jose. Another local didn’t notice it was Jose either, but once he did, remarked, “Where’s your Ferrari?” Jose laughed and patted the man on his back in glee. Then, Jose walked to a nearby bar to see a familiar waiter…
The Waiter
Jose had known this particular waiter for many years. He went up to the bar where he worked and ordered a Budweiser. He waited in excited anticipation, but the waiter said nothing. When he came back to check on Jose, Jose said, “Do you not recognize me?” The waiter looked again and pondered for a half a minute. “I do know you now!” he yelled finally. Jose laughed, finished his beer, and went to go see what the local women would think…
The Women
This woman who knew Jose went up to him and hugged him. She pulled on his shirt and told him she couldn’t imagine this new look even if she tried. She seemed incredibly happy to see him so well. Another woman said, “Very, very handsome,” to which Jose replied, “Thank you very much.” At last, the video was complete and was ready to be posted online. The response from the public was…
Going Viral
Salva took the video and posted it on the salon Facebook homepage. It got 2.3 million views and was shared 28,395 times on just Facebook alone, not including the other social media outlets it was seen on. “It wasn’t just a change of look. It changed my life,” Jose said. It wasn’t long before Jose’s video got the attention of some very important people…
Miracles Do Happen
An anonymous company has come forward and agreed to support Jose financially until he can lock in a secure job. He now has a second chance at his life. Local Paola Bocardo said of the makeover, “I’m lost for words. Jose helps me to park my car every day. When we saw him after his makeover we didn’t recognize him. He’s a wonderful person and the video is amazing.” He now has time to comfortably search for a proper job, and locals are starting to joke he is the “Spanish Hugh Jackman.” Hey, he’ll take it!
