Anthony Cole lost just about EVERYTHING in Hurricane Sandy. The Sebastian Professional International Design Team member HAD a house on the beach on Long Island, NY, but has now become the face of "Sandy" as one of the many salon professionals impacted by the storm.

I checked in with Anthony earlier today to see if there was anything we could do and equally important....to share some good news.

"Oh please tell me some good news," he said. "My family, my four children and my partner, survived [although his beloved Yorkie drowned as the waters rose], but my house... my home... and the contents are gone."

The good news is that the entire hairdresser community is rallying around Anthony and all the other salon industry members who were devastated by the storm. Hairdressers Helping Hairdressers is a benefit to take place December 9, 2012 in NYC. Modern will be there and will be sharing updates via Facebook and Twitter throughout the night. (You can watch a live webcast of the show starting at 8 EST where you can learn how to donate:  www.hairdressershelpinghairdressers.com.)

When industry public relations expert Jayne Morehouse heard I was putting together an oversized goody bag from ARTIST SESSION to help rebuild Anthony's now destroyed speciality tool kit, she said "Give me 5 minutes." Jayne called back moments later to say that the executives at ONE (a company she represents) wanted to send every texture appliance in their Verge by One line to help. Rachel Cooper of Red PR emailed this afternoon saying Cricket would love to donate Centrix shears to Anthony. "Whatever he wants or needs," she said. Jayne called back..."What else can I do?"

When I shared all of this with Anthony, he was overcome. "Every day I think of something else I've lost," he told me. "So many sentimental things. All of my Christmas ornaments were lost. It sounds like nothing, but these were ornaments that were cherished by my mother who died last year. She cherished them so I cherished them. Many of them were hand made by ME in kindergarten and she loved them. They're gone."

Anthony has been dealing with his insurance company and FEMA. "It's been a nightmare, a horror. It's just so complicated. I just want to get my kids in a good safe place." As of today, Anthony moved his family to a three bedroom house in Woodbury, New York, about 25 minutes from his now destroyed house.

I was happy to share with Anthony that the story featuring Anthony and Omar Antonio we shot recently looks GORGEOUS in our December issue. "That IS good news," he said. "Thank you thank you thank you." When I told him that each finished look had a full page in addition to a full page of technical steps, Anthony said "This makes me smile. There are many things that are making me smile these days. I am incredibly grateful to Kris and Alexandra of the MUZE salon (the new salon in NYC where Anthony now works) who raised more than $5000 for me via Facebook. They put that money right in to my account which allowed me to move from the shelter of a one bedroom apt to the three bedroom house. I JUST started working at MUZE and they went out of their way to help us get settled."

Anthony went on to tell me how "Everyone at P & G globally has been unbelievable. People I don't even know have been sending donations and support. People have been so amazingly beautiful. I just don't know what to say."

We do. Please check out Hairdressers Helping Hairdressers. Details are still coming in (we keep updating), but the benefit is designed to help Anthony and others like him.

www.hairdressershelpinghairdressers.com

www.onestyling.com

www.cricketco.com