From Mountain Man to Businessman: Nurse Lifts Patient’s Spirits with Haircut

In health care—as in most other areas of life—the smallest acts of kindness can sometimes make the largest impact. For Sherman Mote, a patient at East Alabama Medical Center, that small but significant act arrived in the form of a haircut and a trimmed beard.

Prior to the scissor surprise, Mote had been hospitalized for nearly a year. A myriad of conditions and a severe case of COPD had left him bedridden. Over the course of his stay, his hair and beard had grown long. It wasn’t something he paid much attention to at first, but soon it became a daily reminder of how long he had been there.

Hunter Bryant, a nurse on the Progressive Care Unit (PCU) as well as a graduate of East Alabama Health’s Nurse Residency Program, had seen Mote while helping a fellow nurse re-position him. They discussed how a haircut and beard trim might help raise his spirits.

As luck would have it, Bryant had been watching YouTube videos on haircutting techniques and was ready to put his newfound knowledge to use. Although he was not assigned to be Mr. Mote’s nurse on his next scheduled shift, Bryant stopped by his room and offered to cut his hair. Mote gladly accepted. 

When Bryant had finished the haircut, Mote looked like a new man. When other staff members came into the room, they noticed right away. 

“Mr. Mote’s eyes lit up and he had the absolute biggest smile on his face when I complimented his new haircut,” said Aubri Carroll, the unit’s nursing supervisor. “He went from mountain man to businessman overnight.”

Staff members on the unit nominated Bryant for a CHOICE Award. CHOICE Awards are given during surprise ceremonies to recognize employees for going above and beyond to ensure that patients receive the best care possible. Mote, who knew about the upcoming ceremony, asked that the award be presented to Bryant in his room. 

“Mr. Mote is part of our PCU family, and that is exactly how Hunter treated him, with kindness, love and respect,” the CHOICE Award nomination read.

During the CHOICE award ceremony, Bryant turned the attention away from himself and toward Mote, shaking his hand and saying, “Look at that, Mote. Look what we did.” 

When asked about Bryant and his act, Mote gave a simple yet special bit of praise, stating, “He’s a good man.”

On Thursday, Sept. 4, following months of help from physical therapy and respiratory therapy Mote’s condition had improved enough for him to venture outside to take in some fresh air. It was his first time outside since his admission into the hospital in Dec. 2024. As it turned out, it was Bryant who had the “shear” pleasure of wheeling Mr. Mote outside.

It was a small act of kindness. It was a large gulp of fresh air. 

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About East Alabama Health

East Alabama Health encompasses East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital in Valley, the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, the Auburn Medical Pavilion and a host of other key medical clinics and practices that help provide a continuum of care to patients throughout an 11-county area. EAMC is a 314-bed regional referral hospital that is currently under construction to add 30 critical care beds. EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital provides emergency and outpatient services while its campus also features a nursing home and an ambulatory surgery center. East Alabama Health employs about 3,800 people and is the second largest employer in the region, trailing only Auburn University. For more information, visit www.eastalabamahealth.org.