NC Junior Firefighter Goes Bald to Honor Late Brother and Kids with Cancer

Thirteen-year-old Zachary Barfield looked up to his brother Taylor in every way. Taylor was a volunteer firefighter and detention officer in North Carolina, and he inspired Zachary to become a junior firefighter himself.

Sadly, Taylor was tragically killed in a car accident last September on his way home from work. A local hero, Taylor was loved by the community and more than 1,000 people attended his funeral to pay their respects.

“He was always goodhearted, and I want to make my brother proud,” shares Zachary.

Just like his brother, Zachary has a heart of gold and desires to help people in need. Prior to his passing, Taylor was an avid supporter of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a volunteer-powered and donor-centered charity dedicated to raising money for children’s cancer research, and known for their signature head-shaving events. Zachary knew his brother planned to shave again in 2016, so without hesitation he decided to fill his shoes and registered to shave at the local St. Baldrick’s event in Kinston, North Carolina.

On March 29, Zachary took his seat under the clippers, not only to honor his brother but to help kids with cancer. He raised more than $1,000 for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, and the event in total raised more than $22,000.

Zachary not only honors his brother’s legacy by following in his footsteps as a junior firefighter, but also goes above and beyond to raise funds for life-saving children’s cancer research.