He Wasn’t Always Homeless
A homeless man named Jose was not always homeless. He actually used to be an electrician until his mental health and depression overcame him.
Once his health deteriorated, he was forced to leave his job. He struggled at work ad he couldn't control the constant thoughts and anxiety in his head.
Battling Depression
Before he knew it, he had lost everything. Jose quickly found himself with no job and no place to live.
He was suffering so severely from depression that he questioned if he could continue with life. Little did he now, the streets of Palma de Mallorca would be his home for the next 25 years.
Known To The Locals
Jose was lucky as many of the locals were friendly and got to know him on a more personal level. Although they couldnt give him as job or money they still tried to get to know him.
They nicknamed him Josete. Every time they passed by, they never forgot to give him a wave or say a quick hello whenever they saw him.
Parking Attendant
Jose didn’t let the fact that he was homeless cripple him from getting some type of work. He needed money to survive and knew he had to figure out something.
He occasionally worked as an unlicensed parking attendant in the city, earning a few dollars here and there. It was enough for him to eat, barely.
Meeting Salva Garcia
Jose was 55 years old when he met Salva Garcia. Garcia was the owner of a local salon called La Salvajeria. Since its opening in 2013 it quickly made a name for itself.
Salva was eccentric and fun. He had a long, wiry beard and a very outgoing personality.
The Offer
Salva’s had a genius idea pop into his head. He told Jose that he wanted to give him a free makeover including his clothes and hair.
In return, Salva wanted to record the entire process on video.
His Answer
At first, Jose declined the offer. Salva had to ask repeatedly, every time he saw Jose on the street randomly.
Finally, Jose decided it was a good idea and that he had nothing to lose. He hadn’t had a proper haircut in decades.
Not Wanting To See
That same day Jose sat in the salon chair. While in the chair, he told Salva the story of his life and how he became homeless.
Jose requested to have the mirrors covered so that he couldn’t watch the process.
How He Looked At The Start
When Jose first arrived at the salon, he had long, white hair and an unkempt beard. He was getting nervous when Salva and his female workers started discussing the makeover.
They had decided that they were going to do a haircut, dye his beard and hair, and give him stylish new clothes.
The Haircut
To begin the haircut, the hairdressers started by pinning all of his hair on top of his head. They then began by cutting the longest locks off first.
Then they trimmed and cut his beard down so they could better see what they were doing. They would finish the remainder of the cut after they dyed his hair and beard.
Dyeing His Hair
When deciding on a hair color, Salva and his team decided on a natural dark brown color. They imagined that it was probably Jose’s hair color probably was before he aged.
His eyes were a deep brown so they didn’t think blond would be the right fit.
Dyeing His Beard
When it came to trimming his beard, they trimmed and shaped it. Once it was trimmed, they dyed it.
The beard was thinner, and Jose’s face looked skinnier instantly. He was already beginning to look so much younger.
His Eyebrows
After the haircut and beard trim, it was time for the eyebrows. They were wild and hairy.
Jose’s eyebrows were plucked and tweezed to perfection and now had a much better shape to them.
New Designer Clothes
Jose was given some new designer clothes to finish off his new look. He took his new clothes into the bathroom to change. He put on the white, button-down collared shirt, slim fit red pants, and light gray shoes.
Once he was dressed in his new outfit, he came out so everyone could see. The hairdressers were shocked with the look! Salva handed him a new pair of black Ray Bans.
The Big Reveal
Now that the transformation was complete, it was finally time for the big reveal. It was finally time for Jose to look in the mirror. Jose looked at himself as a new man for the first time.
He looked amazing! Without all of his shaggy hair, you could finally see his face. His reaction to seeing his new self was so genuine and authentic.
His Reaction
When he first looked in the mirror he was at a loss for words. He held his hands up to his mouth in shock with a wide smile on his face. His eyes instantly got watery.
The first thing he said was “My God, this is incredible, is this me? I’m so different, no one’s going to recognize me unless I tell them who I am!”
Changing His Perspective
As soon as he walked out of the salon, he seemed to act differently almost immediately. He had a new air of confidence about him.
He was finally ready to approach some of his favorite locals and see if they could tell who he was.
The Test To See Who Recognized Him
Looking stylish, Jose approached some of the places that he had camped out near. One waitress cheered for him while another gave him a thumbs up.
It appeared that most recognized him, but some other locals did not
The Waiter
Jose had known a particular waiter for many years. He went up to the bar where he worked and ordered a Budweiser. He waited in anticipation hoping he would be recognized.
Jose asked the waiter if he recognized him and after a few seconds it clicked! Finally he yelled "I do know you!"
The Women
Jose knew many of the women in town. He went up to them to see if they recognized him. They were shocked!
The women told him they couldn’t imagine this new look even if they tried. Women came up to him telling him how handsome he was.
Going Viral
Salva took the video of the transformation and posted it on the salon Facebook. It got 2.3 million views and was shared 28,395 times!
Jose said, “It wasn’t just a change of look. It changed my life.” Jose’s video quickly got the attention of some very important people.