Hair falls as funds raised for survivor of fire

Heather Rawlyk

Monday, Feb. 16, 2004 | 10:04 a.m.

The 7-year-old survivor of a New Year's Day fire that killed his family received a hero's welcome Sunday at a fund-raiser held in his honor.

As a Clark County fire truck carried Madison Martin to Sculpt Medical Spa and Salon, 1371 Warm Springs Road in Henderson, cheers erupted. The boy appeared, his face lit with excitement and hands waving to the crowd.

The fire took the lives of Madison's father, Charles "Chaz" Martin, his mother, Melissa, and his 6-year-old brother Harrison. Madison's best friend, Andy Liu of Irvine, Calif., also died in the fire.

In support of Madison, a hair cut-a-thon fund-raiser was held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday by Sculpt Medical Spa and Salon and Elan Hair Color & Design Studio at 1210 South Valley View Blvd.

Employees from several local salons joined in, giving haircuts for $20 and manicures for $10.

For the past two weeks, drawing tickets were also sold at five hair salons throughout the city for $5 a piece or five for $20.

Madison drew the tickets for the drawing and silent auction, which was held at 5 p.m.

"He was so excited," said Jennifer Moore, a hairdresser at Sculpt who organized the fund-raiser.

"I think he was more excited about drawing the names in the raffle than anything. He was really happy to be a part of it, his whole face lit up and he had this huge smile."

Firefighters of the Southern Nevada Burn Unit also raised $500 for Madison, who now lives with his grandparents, Garry and Victoria Carter, Moore said.

Clark County, Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas firefighters joined in at the salon Sunday afternoon, pooling their pocket change for an additional $600.

Greg Sibley, a Clark County firefighter, presented Madison with the combined $1,100 in donations.

Between the hair cuts, manicures, auction tickets and firefighter contributions, the fund-raiser brought in a total of $13,840, Moore said.

"I can't believe how much we raised," Moore said. "When I set out for $10,000, I thought that would be a stretch. I'm just so excited and happy."

This is not the first time the community has pitched in to help Madison and his grandparents.

Students at Mike O'Callaghan Middle School raised $2,560 for Madison, a student at Hayes Elementary School, said Leslie Brusa, a Clark County School District spokeswoman.

Flamingo Hilton, where Chaz Martin was a doorman, donated $50,000 to a college fund.