Hair salon gives veterans free haircuts

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- After fighting on the front lines, putting their lives at risk for our country, many veterans in Houston have nothing more than a park like this to call home. On this day honoring our veterans, a local barber is trying to restore some dignity to these men, by doing what he does best.

Faruq El-Haqq is doing what he does everyday. But for the men sitting in his chair, there's nothing 'everyday' about it.

"Most of the time I cut my own hair," veteran D'Andre McCoy said.

In fact McCoy hasn't been inside a barber shop since he left the military in 2011.

"Trying to find somewhere for us to stay, it's been kind of hard, kind of rough, but keeping God first, eventually we'll find something," he said.

McCoy isn't just looking after himself. He's got an 18-month-old daughter and a pregnant wife. They sleep in a church office at night.

"We're just taking it day by day, making sure the pressure doesn't get to us, so just day by day," said his wife, Candice McCoy.

Tuesday was a good day for the McCoys.

Knatty Headz Natural Hair Studio is giving veterans free hair cuts, in thanks for their service.

El-Haqq understands that service. He, too, is a veteran.

"Once you look good, you start to feel good about yourself, and it also lets them know that there are people out there that care about them," El-Haqq said.

For people who rarely receive more than a cold shoulder from society, the trimming, the brushing, the simple eye contact mean a lot.

"It's a very warm feeling, very warm," Candice McCoy said.

The McCoys don't know what their future holds, but thanks to people like El-Haqq, they're not walking through it alone.

Candice is not far from her due date. She and her husband are expecting a baby boy before Christmas.