Dawne Kirkwood, who had sported dreadlocks for 20 years, decided it was time for a change. And not just a moderate change, either. Nope. Kirkwood opted to shave her head entirely. But though she was happy with the results, she wasn’t exactly sure how her husband would react.
She and her daughter staged a reveal, having her husband stand with his back turned to her until she was ready to show him her new look. Thankfully, the daughter caught the moment on camera—because seriously, the husband and father had the best reaction to his wife’s shaved head.
The daughter posted the video to Twitter with the caption, “So after 20 years of growing her dreads my mom wanted to cut off her hair. She wasn’t sure how my dad would react tho….but this is how he did.”
So after 20 years of growing her dreads my mom wanted to cut off her hair. She wasn’t sure how my dad would react tho….but this is how he did. 😭🤧 pic.twitter.com/Nih3jH2qSb
— Praize (@Praizesundari) January 13, 2018
The video shows a nervous Kirkwood coming around the corner and waiting for her husband to turn around. Upon seeing her for the first time he exclaimed, “Oh wow!” He continued, “Oh, you are so hot!” and then went in for a big hug. The amount of love and support he showed is absolutely incredible. Bravo!
Little did the family know that this video would go viral. It’s been viewed over 5 million times. And because so many people wanted to see what Dawne looked like before the chop, her daughter kindly posted some photos of her long hair, too.
For everyone asking about my moms hair length before she cut her hair. There you go 💃🏽 pic.twitter.com/aBYFSgEADF
— ✨Pris•ce$$✨ (@praizekirkwood1) January 14, 2018
Here, you can see she had hair that extended way down her back.
She seems to be loving her new ‘do, though. Here are some photos she posted to Twitter:
I am not my hair. # freedom #bigchop #guiltfree pic.twitter.com/TBTwae44bg
— Dawne KirkwoodSanti (@Dawnekirkwood3) January 16, 2018
Not only did her husband have a great reaction to her transformation, but so did many others online.
“Your mom is so beautiful & your dad just fell in love with her all over again,” one Twitter user accurately wrote.
Your mom is so beautiful & your dad just fell in love with her all over again 💕
— Black Women Are The Shit!!! (@Spanky2345) January 14, 2018
Not only did people give compliments, but they shared empowering stories of their own:
You look fabulous darling! <3 Absolutely fabulous! I had long hair too and ended up shavin it all off a few years ago, no problems, no nothin and I loved it! It felt amazing and for the first time I felt beautiful! You look so beautiful! I might do it again someday! pic.twitter.com/FRVhVoryRk
— Jennie (Talani/Tali) Lee (@TalaniMae26) January 17, 2018
https://twitter.com/blazin9962/status/952712198698217472
The couple all but started a movement.
“This should be named tweet of the year,” one person wrote on Twitter, and we couldn’t agree more!
https://twitter.com/ohcatilina/status/953439924132438016
And as for all of the attention she received from this post, she took to Twitter, writing, “I wasn’t expecting this… but thank you for all the love.”
I wasn’t expecting this…., but thank you for all the love. ❤️ https://t.co/F763DN90uj
— Dawne KirkwoodSanti (@Dawnekirkwood3) January 16, 2018
Of course, this isn’t the first time that a dad’s reaction has been completely inspiring. John Marshall shaved his head and got a tattoo shaped like his son’s cancer scar after learning that his son was struggling with self-confidence. The son told his dad his scar made him feel like a “monster,” and that was all the dad needed to hear to act.
“I told him if people wanted to stare, they could stare at both of us,” the dad told BuzzFeed.
These men are helping their loved ones love the skin they’re in, and we couldn’t be more here for it. Here’s to all of the incredibly supportive husbands, partners and parents out there! We couldn’t be more grateful for you.