Haircuts, hope & connection – Darryl Brandt

Darryl Brandt is no stranger to hardship. In the span of a single, devastating month, he lost his father, his family, his business … and his sense of peace.

Known as The Dreaded Barber—a nod to both his hairstyle and his craft—Darryl faced deep depression in the aftermath. When he began to find his footing again, he made a deliberate choice: to turn his pain into purpose. As he puts it, “We all do things to put a roof over our heads; but we also need to do something that helps us sleep at night.”

A master barber, he knew he wanted to offer free haircuts to the marginalized, but he was determined to do more than that. Darryl trained to be a Certified Peer Support Specialist, drawing directly from his own experience with depression to be able to help others. He also became a Narcan educator and an ACEs trainer, equipping himself to offer a confidential, non-judgmental, trauma-informed space.

Each day, he asks himself, “What can I do in the 25 minutes someone is in my chair that can change their life?” From that space, he opens conversations about mental health, suicide prevention, and the opioid epidemic. He helps people connect to mental health support and care for challenges ranging from depression and suicide prevention to cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and substance use.

Today, Darryl operates a mobile barber shop out of a repurposed city bus, finding new ways to serve those who need it most—starting with the scissors in his hand, and the words, “What can I do to make life easier for you?” He's already given 1,000 free haircuts in 2025.

In the comfort of the barber chair, people share, and lives are touched. As Darryl says, “if all you see is a free haircut, you’re missing the point.”

Click here to learn more about The Dreaded Barber: https://thedreadedbarber.org/

Original air date: December 18, 2025.

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