Matthew Green, 42, is a computer science professor and cryptographer living in Baltimore, Maryland, who recently found himself in an interesting situation.
"My kid wanted to die (sic) his hair blue but would only do it if I also did and now I'm questioning this whole 'parenting' decision," Green tweeted on Monday.
My kid wanted to die his hair blue but would only do it if I also did and now I'm questioning this whole "parenting" decision.
— Matthew Green (@matthew_d_green) June 25, 2019
When reached via phone, Green said he and his wife encouraged their 11-year-old son, Harris, to dye his hair as a way of showing that it's OK to stand out.
"[My wife] wanted my son and daughter to do something interesting, different, and was trying to get them out of their comfort zone," Green explained. "So blue hair was the thing, and he agreed to do it. This was a learning experience for our kids."
On Twitter, Green chronicled his attempt to dye his hair at home himself. He quickly realized the process wasn't as easy as he'd thought it would be.
"If you start with brown hair and you try for blue, you don't end up getting much," he said.
It seems that buying the cheapest blue dye in CVS is not a great or effective way to turn your hair blue. But with this much money on the line I'd be willing to try again.
— Matthew Green (@matthew_d_green) June 25, 2019
Green posted a photo of his failed attempt on Twitter, and, soon, his followers began to pledge money to RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services) to see him actually get his hair dyed professionally.
I will donate $300 to RAICES to see this happen.
— Filippo Valsorda (@FiloSottile) June 25, 2019
"There's a whole bunch of people on Twitter who also do computer security service [and] they know me well enough to want to make me look stupid and also they like to collect money to do good things," Green explained on the phone. "All of a sudden these folks I know said, 'You know what, I'm putting 300 bucks if you do it right.' Someone else then says, 'I'm putting in another 300 bucks,' and suddenly it was 2,500 bucks."
I'm in for $300. Will accept temp hair color spray, but must leave for 24h.
— Runa Sandvik (@runasand) June 25, 2019
So, on Tuesday, Green went to the hair salon intent on doing some good for both his son and the world.
I have an appointment to bleach and dye my hair in an hour. Apparently I have to provide the dye myself because the fancy salons around here don't do "fashion colors" 🙄
— Matthew Green (@matthew_d_green) June 25, 2019
By then, Green's tweets had gone viral, and the donations had skyrocketed to $12,500.
I'm going to interpret this more as "lots of people looking for any excuse to donate to a good cause" and less as "they know how ridiculous I'll look showing up at a DARPA meeting."
— Matthew Green (@matthew_d_green) June 25, 2019
The process was a little daunting, to say the least.
Oh my god how do people do this.
— Matthew Green (@matthew_d_green) June 25, 2019
They had to bleach his hair first so that the blue dye would set better, which made him look like Guy Fieri, he tweeted.
Oh god.
— Matthew Green (@matthew_d_green) June 25, 2019
In the end, Green followed through, but there's a plot twist…
Well that is… something.
— Matthew Green (@matthew_d_green) June 25, 2019
Once Harris saw what his dad looked like, he ended up backing out of the deal!
"He said I'm totally not going to do that and it's ridiculous so it actually kind of backfired in the end!" Green said.
So @RAICESTEXAS should be $12,500 better off. A great cause even without the hair. Thanks @FiloSottile and many, many others. I may need to sign off Twitter soon just to keep people from making me dye the beard too 🙂
— Matthew Green (@matthew_d_green) June 25, 2019
But the good news is that, when Green last checked on Tuesday, the amount of money he had raised was up to $16,000, and people are continuing to contribute.
Wow. Love this story.
Thank you @matthew_d_green, your kid, and to everyone who supported this epic new look.
— RAICES (@RAICESTEXAS) June 25, 2019
In fact, some people are saying this is a great way to raise money for charity in general, kind of like an altruistic version of "truth or dare."
I feel like this should be an actual thing. i.e. nominate a person we want to dye their hair and offer to donate to a charitable cause with proof if they go through with it. 😄👍hell I'd do it, what better way to help out groups you care for than to stand out ❤️
— Joshua Briefman (@sirgatez) June 25, 2019
And, in case you're wondering, Green does plan to keep the new 'do for a little while longer.
"I think I'm gonna keep it all summer," he said. "I feel like I owe it to the people who put in all this money."
And for another heartwarming father-son story, check out The Touching Story Behind the Video of a Man with Dementia Remembering his Own Song.
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Diana Bruk Diana is a senior editor who writes about sex and relationships, modern dating trends, and health and wellness.Read moreFiled UnderNews • ParenthoodRead This NextHow One Dad Is Fighting For Men's Room Changing Tables
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