He did it for his mother and to hopefully make a difference.

For the past two years, Austin High graduate and Albert Lea resident Gary Uzlik Jr. has grown his hair long in preparation of donating a portion of it to Locks of Love.

On Friday, Uzlik sat back in a salon chair at Golden Tress in Austin and watched as stylist Janet Jacobsen clipped away.

“Today happens to be the second year since my mother’s passing,” Uzlik said. “I just knew she was self conscious about her hair and so as a tribute and a memorial, I just thought I’d do it.”

Uzlik, 47, who last had long hair as a teenager, enjoyed both making the contribution of about 10-inches worth of hair and his shorter haircut, which was free with his donation to Locks of Love.

“It feels strange, but it’s nice it’s not in my eyes,” he said. “That was really a pain.”

Jacobsen said Golden Tress has been affiliated with Locks of Love for at least 15 years and added that once the donation has been given, the store then sends it to the organization.

“I’ve lost friends and family to cancer,” so it’s a good thing,” Jacobsen said. “There’s people who can’t stand (their long hair) and want to cut it off, and there’s people who about pass out when you do cut it off.”

Uzlik’s mother, Judy, died after a battle with cancer. She owned Uzlik Accounting in Austin for 35 years.

Gary said his mother was outgoing, outspoken and knew a lot of people in town.

Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization based out of West Palm Beach, Fla. that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under the age of 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis.

“If I can donate some hair and help ease some child’s life a little bit and help them feel good about themselves, that’s great,” Gary said.