Native Vietnam Veteran Hair Cut Off At Rehab Center

Native Veteran Has Traditional Long Hair Cut Off In Nursing Home 
Indian Country Today
Vincent Schilling
2/7/15

Courtesy Lillian Leno Native Veteran Barry Leno after his traditional ponytail was cut off at nursing facility.

A 65-year-old Native Vietnam veteran staying at the Ashland Rehabilitation Center and Nursing Facility in Ashland, Virginia has recently had his traditional long hair cut off without the permission of his family.

Barry Leno, (Algonquin, Seneca) who has had his hair in a traditional ponytail for decades and suffers from dementia, cried when his wife arrived at the facility recently and asked what happened. 

According to Leno’s wife, Lillian Leno, she went to visit her husband in the facility February 4 and discovered his hair was cut to above his shoulders. She said she was devastated to see her husband cry as he explained that his hair had been cut.

“I don’t know… (what happened,),” Lillian said. “I came in yesterday to visit him and his pony tail was cut off.

We have been married 32 years and he has had it as long as that. I asked him what happened, he said ‘I don’t know,’ and he started crying. He said ‘they cut it off.”
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