LAKELAND, Fla. — A Lakeland man is turning his life around with the help of a local barbershop that’s doing a lot more than just cutting hair.
In 2021, DeRon Gregg hit one of the lowest points in his life.
“I had burned so many bridges. Nobody wanted to help me, people were tired of helping me,” Gregg said.
WATCH: Barbershop gives Lakeland man facing homelessness a fresh start
He found himself behind bars for seven months at Polk County Jail. “Terrible. I don’t wish it on my worst enemy,” said Gregg.
After his release, with no support from family, Gregg turned to Lighthouse Ministries, a faith-based shelter in Lakeland.
“Put me on the path to know the path of getting to know the Lord, most of all, they help me rebuild relationships,” Gregg said.
Everything changed last September when Gregg walked into Barber Skate Shop. That visit became a turning point.
Shop owner Jairus Rutherford runs five barbershops across Polk County and gives back through the Autherine B. Rutherford Scholarship Fund, named after his late mother.
" My mom was an educator, so she passed away when I was a kid, so I always wanted to do something in her name,” Rutherford said.
The scholarship supports students going to college or trade school. Rutherford saw Gregg’s potential as soon as he sat in his chair and encouraged him to pursue barbering.
“DeRon’s story inspired me because his situation, and then he wanted to become a barber, and I’m a barber myself so I felt like that would be important to me, because I actually like teaching other barbers,” Rutherford said.
Gregg graduated from barber school in less than a year. He’s now building his own clientele, right at the shop where his journey began.
“It’s like a family environment, we all talk to each other. Help each other through certain things,” Gregg said.
With a new career and a strong support system, Gregg has found more than just a job, he’s found a community. He hopes to open his own barbershop one day and help others the same way he was helped.
“You know, it might just be time we take a look if HOAs are really even necessary.
Maybe we should just do away with homeowner associations as a whole.”
South Florida lawmaker Rep. Juan Carlos Porras (R-Miami) says it may be time to do away with homeowners associations altogether, as more Floridians speak out about rising fees, costly lawsuits, and even arrests tied to HOA disputes. He said this week that he is considering filing legislation in the next session that would abolish HOAs statewide.
