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Bald Is Beautiful For Miami Firefighters Helping Boy With Cancer

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - It's not every day you see a 3-year-old shaving his dad's hair.

Jesse James Santerre, 3, was diagnosed with leukemia three weeks ago.

The chemotherapy was already causing hair loss so Dad and some of his fellow firefighters at station 5 in Miami decided to show Jesse how much they support him by shaving his head.

"I figure if he sees everyone with bald heads like daddy he'd see he has support and we will help him get through this," said Jesse Santerre Sr.

Jesse's Mom, Natalia Rios, was at the firehouse. She did not shave her head, instead she had a more permanent symbol of support.

"I got a tattoo, its orange for leukemia and it's a ribbon…" said Rios, showing her new tattoo which sits behind her ear.

Firefighters at station five are also supporting the family in other ways.

"A lot of guys are working for him so he has time off to go to chemo and gets through what we are going through right now," said Miami Firefighter Carlos Garcia.

When the shaving was over, half a dozen Miami firefighters were without a single lock of hair on their heads so that when little Jesse looks around, he can see he's not much different than dad's co-workers.

"My son appreciates everything, all the support. It's a lot to deal with but we're getting through it," said Jesse Sr.

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