Owner of Two Barbershops Who Mentored a Lot of Fatherless Boys Dies From COVID-19

Brookhaven, MS — Eugene Thompson, a 46-year old community icon and owner of two barbershops in Mississippi, has sadly died from the coronavirus.

On March 17, Thompson said in a Facebook post that he was feeling sick. He wrote, “Quarantine yourself stay away from people…places.. or things…I felt a little [achy]… fever was a little high so I came to get checked.”

He went on to also announce the closure of his barbershop, saying: “Tapernation will be closed for the rest of the week… well deserved rest and relaxation.”

Thompson was later tested for COVID-19 and learned that he was positive. His sister, Dedra Edwards, said that his condition worsened and he couldn’t even get up to walk. He was taken to the hospital where he died less than a week after turning 46-years old.

Thompson is remembered by the local Brookhaven community as a role model especially to a lot of young fatherless boys.

“There’s a lot of people, kids and adults that he cut for free that didn’t have the money and I was one of them,” longtime client Shanta Harris told WLBT News.