Jordan Fuentes had an idea. The midfielder/forward for the Uniondale Dragon decided to grow his hair to donate it to Wigs for Kids, a non-profit hair donation group that helps children suffering from hair loss. It can be very challenging for any person to lose their hair but can be particularly traumatic for a child. Wigs for Kids helps children who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy, radiation therapy, alopecia, trichotillomania, burns, and other medical issues.
Jordan grew his hair for two years and, after it reached shoulder-length, he was bullied by both other kids as well as adults and sometimes mistaken for a girl. The bullying became so bad that he had to transfer to another school. Despite all the taunts, though, Jordan continued to grow his hair.
“We are very proud of Jordan that he accomplished his goal of donating his hair to help other kids and did not give up despite all the adversity,” commented Dragon coach Angel Guzman. “He is a leader and an inspiration to us all!”
The Uniondale Dragon played in the Boys U-13 Premier Division of the LIJSL last fall, winning the LIJSL Sportsmanship Award while finishing with a 4-6-0 record.