Albion boy cuts hair after 5 years with 16 inches donated to Wigs for Kids

Cooper Traxler giving hair in memory of friend, Byron Neal

Photos courtesy of Jamie Traxler

BROCKPORT – Cooper Traxler, 12, of Albion is shown on Friday before he got his hair cut at Next Level Barbershop in Brockport.

Cooper had 16 inches taken off with his first haircut in five years. He is donating the hair to Wigs for Kids in memory of Byron Neal, who passed away from cancer at age 8 on April 14, 2023. Byron and his family sat in front of Cooper for church services at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Albion.

Cooper got a major overhaul with the haircut by Jeremy at Next Level Barbershop. Many of Cooper’s friends and football coaches recommended Jeremy for the haircut.

Cooper said he was excited for the change with a new school year starting next week. He will be going into seventh grade.

Cooper’s hair will be given to Wig for Kids out of Ohio. He will be raising $500 to go with his hair which will start the wig production, said his mother, Jamie Traxler.

Many kids with cancer lose their hair while enduring chemo treatments.

“He wanted them to have his hair to make them feel more like themselves until their hair grew back,” Jamie Traxler said. “So that they could focus on feeling better and getting better while not worrying about people staring because of losing their hair and how that made them look.”

Anyone interested in donating towards the new wig can send the money by Venmo to @JamieTraxler82.