Double Celebration
Kelsey’s parents had been divorced for quite some time, so she was used to having two birthday parties and this year was no different. But because it was her thirteenth birthday, a sleepover with friends would make it all the more special.
Double Celebration
A Special Treat
Her mom wanted Kelsey to have the best birthday ever so she organized the sleepover. She had also made an appointment to take Kelsey to have highlights put in her hair as a gift. Kelsey was so excited, she could hardly wait.
A Special Treat
Spending Quality Time With Dad
In the divorce agreement, it stated that both parents get equal time with Kelsey. That’s why she was set to go to her dad’s house after her hair appointment. She couldn’t wait to show her dad her new highlights. But would he like them?
Spending Quality Time With Dad
Loving Life
Kelsey was a happy child and enjoyed the time she spent with each parent. She spent every weekend with a different parent and they always did fun things. When she was with her dad she also got to spend time with her younger half-brothers.
Loving Life
Best Of Friends
Kelsey and her mom Christin have a very special relationship. Kelsey feels like her mom is her best friend, she’s someone that she can talk to about anything and everything. They not only live together but they have a very close-knit bond.
Best Of Friends
Mother-Daughter Team
Kelsey loves both parents equally, but she doesn’t have the same kind of relationship with her dad. Kelsey spends more time with her mom, so they can bond even more. Christin loves hearing about Kelsey’s day whereas her dad doesn’t share the same enthusiasm.
Mother-Daughter Team
A Great Support System
Kelsey’s parents, Christin and Schaffen divorced when she was very young, and that was very hard for her. Her family’s support and her love of sports are what helped keep Kelsey grounded through such a big change in her life.
A Great Support System
Maintaining A Good Relationship
For Kelsey’s sake, her parents maintained a good relationship. They agreed on how to raise her and what rules to put in place when it came to discipline. They even continued going to Lake Erie every month just the three of them every year after the divorce.
Maintaining A Good Relationship
New Beginnings For Schaffen
It wasn’t long after the divorce that her dad found love again. He had fallen in love with a woman that worked with him at the fire station. They were so happy that the pair decided to get married and Kelsey was ecstatic for her dad.
New Beginnings For Schaffen
Things Would Stay The Same
You’d think that having a new stepmom would be hard, but Kelsey liked her dad’s new wife. Christin and Schaffer had agreed that things would stay the same when it came to raising Kelsey regardless of the new woman in his life.
Things Would Stay The Same
Surrounded By Strong Women
Kelsey was surrounded by strong women her whole life. She grew up around her Aunt Kelly and her godmother Haylee Ann. They both played an important part in her life and she grew up appreciating motherly figures so her new stepmom would fit right in.
Surrounded By Strong Women
Birthday Gift
Kelsey was lucky that both her mom and dad lived in the same town of Fostoria. That meant that they could plan two unforgettable parties for her. But what gift could they get her for her birthday? It had to be something special.
Birthday Gift
One Simple Request
Kelsey enjoyed softball and fishing and wasn’t a very “girly girl.” When asked what she wanted for her birthday she’d made one simple request. She didn’t want anything too pink, sparkly, or glitzy. Christin turned to family and Kelsey’s friends for ideas.
One Simple Request
Cool Party Ideas
Kelsey was counting the days until her thirteenth birthday. She and her friends were searching the internet for party ideas that would make her birthday extra special. Her parents couldn’t afford a very expensive gift but wanted to get something that she would love.
Cool Party Ideas
Giving Her A Choice
Christin loved giving Kelsey a surprise gift in previous years, but this year she wanted to give her the opportunity to choose what she wanted. Being almost a teenager, Kelsey loved getting her hair and makeup done, but her request still took Christin by surprise.
Giving Her A Choice
A New Hairdo
Kelsey told her mom that she wanted highlights for her thirteenth birthday. At first, Christin was concerned because she thought that maybe Kelsey wasn’t happy with the way she looked and that’s why she wanted a major change. Wasn’t she too young for highlights?
A New Hairdo
No Need To Worry
After considering Kelsey’s request, Christin realized that there was no need to worry. She’d been highlighting her hair for many years and maybe that influenced Kelsey. After all, she did tell Kelsey that she could get whatever she wanted for her birthday.
No Need To Worry
She Deserved It
Christin decided to grant Kelsey’s wishes to get highlights because she deserved it. She always helped around the house and was a wonderful big sister to her younger brothers. So Christin decided to give her the royal treatment for her birthday.
She Deserved It
Mother-Daughter Pamper Session
Christin also used this opportunity to have mother-daughter bonding time. Not only did Kelsey get highlights, but the two got matching manicures and pedicures. They had such an amazing day! Kelsey had no idea what else was in store for her to end off her special day.
Mother-Daughter Pamper Session
Happy With Her Look
Christin couldn’t believe just how different Kelsey looked with highlights in her hair. Her daughter had done through a real transformation, but she still looked beautiful. Kelsey was so happy with the result but that wasn’t all Christin had planned for her.
Happy With Her Look
Another Surprise
Not only did Kelsey have highlights put in, but Christin also took her to get her makeup done at Sephora. Christin was so happy to see her daughter so ecstatic that she took a photo of her and posted it on Facebook.
Another Surprise
Time To Visit Dad
Kelsey couldn’t wait to go out and show off her highlights. It was already planned that Kelsey would spend that weekend with her dad, so Christin drove her there. She’d already spent a wonderful day with her, now it was her dad’s turn.
Time To Visit Dad
Something Wasn’t Right
The weekend had passed and it was time for Kelsey to be going back home to her mom’s house. That morning, Christin had a feeling that something wasn’t right. She hadn’t heard from Kelsey all weekend. Was she enjoying her new do?
Something Wasn’t Right
What Had Happened?
Christin did not expect to see what greeted her the moment she opened her front door. Kelsey’s face was so puffy from crying. What had happened to her? Christin’s couldn’t imagine what could have caused her daughter to cry so much.
What Had Happened
Something Was Different
Christin did a double-take and realized that something was different. Kelsey’s highlights were gone, and so was her beautiful hair! Did Kelsey hate her highlights so much that she decided to chop it all off? Christin couldn’t believe her eyes!
Something Was Different
A Boyish Cut
Kelsey’s hair hadn’t just been chopped off, it was butchered off. It was a boyish cut with no style. Kelsey was felt so humiliated and devastated with what happened to her that she refused to show her face. What went wrong?
A Boyish Cut
A Tough Time
Kelsey went from being confident and outgoing to being shy and reserved after her hair was chopped off. She didn’t even want to look at herself in the mirror. Plus, Kelsey refused to talk to her mom about what actually happened.
A Tough Time
Getting To The Bottom Of It
Christin knew she had to get to the bottom of it so she drove to Schaffen’s house for answers. Apparently, Schaffen and Sarah believed that the highlights were too precarious and her actions had consequences. Christin was so mad!
Getting To The Bottom Of It
Showing Them Action Has Consequences
Christin intended on showing both Schaffen and his wife Sarah, that yes, their actions also have consequences. She went to the police and explained how her daughter’s father had cut her hair against her wishes. She wanted to press charges against them.
Showing Them Action Has Consequences
Using Social Media
Not only did Christin report Schaffen to the police, but she turned to Facebook to shame him. She wanted him to feel pain like the kind of pain he inflicted on her sweet daughter on her thirteenth birthday. How could he be so insensitive?
Using Social Media
The Post Went Viral
Christin didn’t expect it to go viral, but it did. The public was so outraged with Schaffen’s behavior and the post was shared over 24,000 times and received over 30,000 comments in just one week.
The Post Went Viral
It Became Very Overwhelming
Unfortunately, the response that the post got, became too overwhelming for Kelsey. The attention was too much for a thirteen-year-old. She received a lot of support from the public. Everyone was on her side and believed what Schaffer had done was ridiculous.
It Became Very Overwhelming
Not Ready To Go To School
Now, not only did she have to worry about going back to school with a botched haircut, but she had to worry about all the attention her mom’s post had attracted. While Kelsey was suffering, her dad and Sarah acted as if nothing had happened.
Not Ready To Go To School
A Controlling Father
The public was concerned about Kelsey. The public believed that there was more to this than meets the eye. Yes, he was a controlling dad, but maybe all this happened because of an underlying animosity between him and Christin.
A Controlling Father
No Excuse
The hairstylist that did Kelsey’s highlights believes that whoever cut Kelsey’s hair that way was just as responsible as Schaffer for the trauma they caused. Yes, she may have been a little young for highlights, but there was no excuse for what they did!
No Excuse
A Great Idea
After receiving so much support from people all over the country, her godmother Haylee Ann got an idea that would help Kelsey get her confidence back. She created a GoFundMe account so people could donate money to help Kelsey get her life back.
A Great Idea
Drawing Inspiration
Kelsey tried to get back to her normal life after the ordeal. She started playing softball again and her mom would post updates on how Kelsey was doing. People drew inspiration from this young girl because of how resilient she was.
Drawing Inspiration
Suspended Firefighting Duties
The authorities believed that what Schaffer and Sarah did was parental abuse and they stepped in. they were both suspended from their firefighting duties and were placed on administrative leave. The Middletown Township fire department didn’t want to be associated with people like that.
Suspended Firefighting Duties
A New Do
She received so many generous donations through GoFundMe that there was enough money for Kelsey to get herself a new hairdo. She went to Lady Jane’s salon and they made magic happen for her. Kelsey decided she wanted a wig until her hair grew out.
A New Do
Back To Her Confident Self
The happy, confident Kelsey is finally back thanks to her godmother Haylee Ann and to the team of stylists at Lady Jane’s salon. Kelsey and her mom are forever grateful to everyone that showed their support and donated so generously.
Back To Her Confident Self