Published: February 01, 2008 11:34 am            

I'M ON RACHAEL RAY: Hair horror lands Youngstown girl on TV show

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To see the Rachael Ray TV show segment visit www.YouTube.com and search “Amy and Madison on RR.”





It was a simple, awful mistake. But, had it not happened, a Youngstown mother and daughter would never have been invited to be on the Rachael Ray television show.

It all started last Halloween when Madison Reynolds, 8, decided she wanted to go to a party dressed as Rachael Ray. She and her mother, Amy Reynolds, created a television out of a cardboard box, that she planned to wear over her head, and mom bought daughter a brunette wig to cover her blonde hair.

Just as they were about to leave for the party they decide to trim the waist-length wig in case Madison wanted to take of the TV box during the party, as Rachael has shoulder-length hair.

So Amy, like any mom in a hurry might do, grabbed a scissors and a hunk of Madison’s long wig, and chopped away.

It wasn’t until after the party that she realized she had also trimmed off Madison’s long blonde pony tail as well. The error was made worse because Madison had been growing her hair for “Locks of Love,” which makes wigs for cancer patients, and was 1 inch short of making the required 10 inch donation of hair. The shorn Madison was horrified when the wig came off and the mistake revealed.

“She was so mad at me she wouldn't even talk to me,” said Amy. “I kept telling her that it would be OK, everything happens for a reason. At that time, I didn't know what that reason could possibly be but I kept repeating it, because she was so upset and I wanted to make her feel better.”

Turns out, mom couldn’t have been more correct.

When TV star Ray heard about Madison’s hair, through a letter Amy sent online, Ray invited child and mom to fly to New York and be on her show, but first she sent a team to Youngstown and the pair recreated the Halloween hair horror on videotape. Then they were flown to New York to be on the Rachael Ray show.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think that this story would end with her getting to meet her hero, Rachael Ray! What a dream come true,” Amy said. “The Rachael Ray show was so amazing too, from the team that came to our house to film, to everyone in New York City, they were all so nice and made the experience just incredible. It was truly an experience we will never forget.”

        

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