Money tolerates teasing to do a good deed

Sentinel Staff Writer

East Chain

At the age of 10, Dwayne Money already knows the clause in Murphy's Law that states, "No good deed goes unpunished."

Inspired by a special he saw on TV several years ago, Money decided to grow his hair 12 inches long, then have it cut and donated to the non-profit organization, "Locks of Love," which makes wigs from real hair. The wigs are created for children undergoing cancer treatment who have lost or can't grow their own hair.

"In 2001, I watched this special on Nickelodeon," he recalled. "It had these cancer people, and they were showing people in superhero costumes, and it said, 'If you give hair, then you'd be their hero.' I just felt really bad for them."

"He came up with this idea all on his own," said his mother, Tammy Hilpipre. "He asked if he could do this, and I told him if that's what he wanted to do, then do it."

But when Money started growing his hair, he said it made him a target for harassment and bullying.

"The kids would call me 'girl,' and 'mullet boy,'" he said. He also said that he sometimes ended up in fights, and was pushed and tackled by some older boys.

"It's not what they say, but how they say it," Money explained. "Some called me 'girl,' but I could tell they were just joking, but others were really mean ... It wasn't nice, and there was no reason for it."

Money found some adults also had trouble understanding the reason behind the mane. Hilpipre said that sometimes older people would mistake Money for a girl because of his hair.

"He told some people why he was doing it, like his grandma and some of his teachers," Hilpipre said. "But I'd still hear, 'When is he going to cut his hair?'"

Money said he tried to turn the experience around by doing good things, like helping other kids with their homework.

"I'd try to tell them to do one good thing for someone else, like that movie 'Pay It Forward,'" Money said. "But a lot of times, I'd still see those kids picking on other kids the next day."

Last week, after nearly four years of long hair, Money finally went under the shears.

"When I walked into class on Friday, everyone was just stunned," Money said. "The teachers even said that they couldn't stop looking at me, because I looked so different."

Money said that some of the harassment he received still stings, even though he knows he did a good deed.

"They tortured me for doing one of the best things I could do," he said. "I just think people shouldn't be mean to someone who may look or talk different, because it doesn't matter ... it's not nice to do it."

"A lot of people thought he was growing his hair just to do it," Hilpipre said. "But he's really a kind-hearted kid. He donates his money to the red kettles and just recently, he gave his money to a Tsunami victims fund-raiser ... It's like 'sticks and stones,' some of those words and names did hurt. But I just keep telling him to be himself."