Cutchogue Boy, 10, Cuts Off Hair for Locks of Love

George Ethan McDowell, 10, had an unfamiliar sensation after getting a buzz cut Wednesday afternoon.

"He said his ears were cold," said George's mother, Tanya McDowell.

That's because George was used to a long mane. "He cut off 11 inches," McDowell said.

Her son, McDowell said, cut his hair for Locks of Love, an public non-profit organization that, according to their website, "provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis."

This is actually the second time that George has grown, and cut, his hair for Locks of Love, his mother said.

"His two aunts, Jennifer Foster and Kristen Zuhoski, had breast cancer and his best friend's mom has cancer," she siad. "He has been growing his hair since September of 2011. He told me he doesn't like to see kids that have to lose their hair and since he grows his hair fast it makes sense to give it away."

George, who had his hair cut at he Tailored Male in Cutchogue Wednesday afternoon by a barber named Nizo, said he was moved to grow his hair by his friend Matthew's mother, Elizabeth Toy, who is battling cancer.

"She inspired me," George said. "She has to wear wigs all the time and is just growing her hair back."

Toy was touched by the boy's heartfelt gesture. "It was tremendously thoughtful, generous and heartwarming that he thought to do this," she said.

McDowell's husband George began growing his hair to donate to Locks for Love at the same time his son began -- but his has grown only half the length of his son's so far.

Her son, McDowell said, "has got the fastest growing hair." Her husband, she laughed, "has a long way to go."

McDowell said she is proud her son chose to grow his hair; she also has two daughers Madison, 12, and Ava, 4.

"A lot of people picked on him because it was so long, but he just said, 'I'm growing it for people with cancer,'" she said. "He's proud of it. He definitely gets a lot of questions about his hair and he's always telling others about what he's doing, and for what cause. I hope he inspires other children."