Copperas Cove man donates his hair to Children With Hair Loss

By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press 

Bentleigh Morris is three years old, and for more than half of her young life, her father has been growing out his hair for a cause. 
On Sunday, David Morris had 10 inches of his locks cut off at Super Cuts in Copperas Cove, to donate to the organization Children With Hair Loss. 
Young Bentleigh laughed at the sight of her father sitting in the stylist’s chair, as his hair was divided into sections, then braided into 10-inch braids prior to them being cut. 
Morris’ inspiration for the nearly two-year venture was another youngster, Briana Liles. 
Liles is the present Five Hills Ambassador for 2019, who won the title of Preteen Miss Five Hills in 2018 and has been advancing her cause, alopecia awareness, for two years now. 
Morris has been a supporter the pageant, both personally and professionally, since its rebirth in 2014, and also serves on the pageant’s board. He creates the annual pageant program digital file as part of the staff of the Copperas Cove Leader-Press, and also has served as the pageant’s photographer every year through Centex Photo Studio. 
During that time, he has photographed hundreds of contestants, and Briana stood out to him when she took the stage in 2018, Morris said. 
“She competed for several years prior to winning the title. The titleholders log thousands of volunteer hours every year representing our community and causes like Briana’s,” Morris said of his decision to start growing his hair out, in the spring of 2018 shortly after Liles was crowned Preteen Miss Five Hills. 
As the reigning Five Hills Ambassador, Briana was present on Sunday and the stylist handed over the scissors so Briana could cut the first braid. Morris’ wife, Tiffany, made the second cut to her husband’s hair. 
“Donating his hair is good, because a lot of kids need it, and want it, and it will make a difference for them,” said Briana who has faced her own battle with alopecia. “I never imagined two years ago that someone would do this to help my cause.”
Through Briana’s work over the past two years, she has raised funds to help other children go to a summer camp for children who battle alopecia. Briana will surrender her crown to the Five Hills Ambassador for 2020 at the pageant, set for March 21. 
After news of his haircut emerged on social media, Morris has raised $60 for CWHL from donations. 
Morris’ hair, meanwhile, will be sent to Children With Hair Loss, an organization which provides customized hair replacement and care kits to more than 300 children annually. The children receiving the hair replacements battle medical conditions such as hair loss from alopecia, cancer treatments, trichotillomania, and burns. Via CWHL, children can receive a new hair replacement system annually until age 21.