Las Cruces girl surprised with money for new hair piece

Thirteen-year-old Nevaeh Guzman has suffered from an autoimmune disease called alopecia areata since she was three years old.

“It’s hard as an adult,” said her mother, Estella Guzman. “I can’t even imagine how it is as a child.”

As a result of the disease, Guzman has dealt with hair loss for nearly all of her young life.

However, on Sunday, the teenager was surprised with more than three thousand dollars for a brand new hair piece. The money was raised from Revolution 120, a new nonprofit “aiming to change the way Las Cruces gives.”

“It’s amazing to me,” Guzman said. “It’s like a new experience for me. It’s never happened and I’m just grateful.”

Guzman’s mother sent out a text message to Marci Dickerson, the founder of Revolution 120, on Saturday morning. In a matter of hours, Dickerson had raised more than enough money from more than twenty women in Las Cruces.

“This is something that we believe in,” Dickerson said. “Everyone’s life is hard, but I certainly can feel that going through middle school and going through high school, as a female with alopecia areata, that’s very hard. I had it when I was younger.”

“It makes me feel good about humanity,” said Nevaeh’s mother. “It feels amazing. Absolutely amazing.”

She encouraged parents all over the Borderland to encourage their children to have an open heart, especially in middle school.

“Please talk to your kids about (other) kids being different,” Guzman said. “Be aware that it’s okay.”