On Saturday, two months to the day of the Boston Marathon bombing, the Oceanside College of Beauty held a fundraiser to help two surviving victims.
Mother and daughter Celeste and Sydney Corcoran were both injured in the bombing in Boston on April 15, 2013.
Celeste was a Boston-area hair stylist for 13 years before losing both her legs in the tragedy. She was near the finish line with her daughter, Sydney, to see her sister run by when the first bomb detonated.
Celeste had to have both legs amputated because of the extent of her injuries. Sydney severed a major blood vessel in her right thigh, but doctors were able to save her leg.
Touched by their story and moved by Celeste’s devotion and passion for the art of hairstyling, students from the cosmetology school in Oceanside felt the need to help in her recovery.
The school's Cut-A-Thon was held Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Attendees got their hair cut while students collected money and raffled some gift baskets.
The Oceanside College of Beauty will donate all of the proceeds made during the Cut-A-Thon to the Celeste & Sydney Recovery Fund.
The owner of the 40-year-old beauty school, Ray Stainback, said he was happy to be hosting the event.
"I'm proud of our new Student Council for taking the initiative and organizing this Cut-A-Thon. Hopefully the money we raise can help assist with the women's rehabilitation and help Celeste re-enter the field of cosmetology," said Stainback.
If you'd like to make a donation to help the Corcorans with their medical bill, you can do so anytime by visiting their fund website.