OCALA, FL (352today.com) – Allow me to engage you in a brief thought experiment.
Picture yourself becoming famous due to your hairstyle.
But not just any hairstyle; one drastically popularized in the 80’s. It’s a hairstyle making a rather raucous revival in the current year, a style personified by Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon, Patrick Swayze in Road House, and Billy Ray Cyrus in, well, everything.
Of course, I am referring to the incomparable mullet.
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If you had the chance to become a mullet head, would you? Would you, in the words of The Beastie Boys song, ask for a “number one on the side and don’t touch the back, number six on the top and don’t cut it wack, Jack?”
It just so happens that the mullet is getting a local 8-year-old a lot of attention. Jack Keuntjes is a bona fide mullet head.
“His dad started growing the mullet three years ago, and Jack grew one as well in solidarity to his father,” explained Kristie Keuntjes, Jack’s mom.
Jack’s road to celebrity status started in just the last month, when his family submitted a picture of his stellar mullet to the Mullet Championships, a non-profit competition that allows the people of America to vote for the best mullet in the country.
Jack was eager to join the competition last year; however, by the time he caught wind of it, it had already begun.
When they submitted his picture to the Mullet Championships this year, the family’s expectations were tame–whatever happens, will happen.
Out of the 115 mullet heads entered into Jack’s age bracket, he suddenly found himself in the top 34, ranking 2nd overall.
Jack’s success was more than just from voting. He also raised over $4,000 from the first round to go to Jared Allen’s Home for Wounded Warriors. The top fundraiser in the entire competition.
Jack found himself thrust into the spotlight, receiving requests for interviews from media outlets all over North Central Florida.
“We were on our way home from a doctor’s appointment and an hour later, there’s a camera in our living room,” said Kristie. “It was definitely unexpected.”
In a sense, Jack’s mullet has become a symbol of his strength.
Jack was born with Ventriculomegaly and Hydrocephalus, a condition which causes the ventricles in his brain to develop larger than they should be.
“When he turned four, we started noticing that he was experiencing nausea and headaches very often,” explained Kristie.
As a result, Jack had to undergo Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV) surgery earlier this year, a process where a channel is created in the base of the brain to allow spinal fluid to flow more freely and relieve built-up pressure.
“Oh, and I had surgery on my arm!” said Jack. On top of brain surgery, the youngster broke his arm in a bike accident.
“I mean, this guy! It’s the mullet. You can’t keep him down,” Kristie chuckled. “It got to the point where he told a friend’s mom about what happened to him, and his mom told Jack to quit making up stories!”
All this has meant that Jack has had a lot of doctor’s appointments and was actually on his way to a check-up during our interview.
On top of all the hardships, Jack lost part of his mullet due to brain surgery. Remarkably, he was able to grow it back just in time for the competition.
“It’s what makes the mullet special in a way,” said Kristie. “Everywhere we go, he’s getting recognized for his hairstyle. He was swimming in the pool last night and people loved his hair.”
Jack now turns his attention towards helping raise funds for the Jared Allen’s Home for Wounded Warriors project, something dear to his heart because of his grandfather, who is a Marine.
“Veterans who come home that are injured… I want to help them,” said Jack.
“You can vote once every 24 hours, and if you’re able to donate to Jared Allen’s Home for Wounded Warriors, that would be most excellent,” explained Kristie.
There are just a few days left to vote for Jack to advance to the finals. Voting ends on Wednesday, July 31.
For his fellow competitors, Jack wishes you well–but he also has a few words for you to swallow.
“Farewell, my friends.”