A Mississippi barber who made house calls amid the coronavirus quarantine died from a cardiac arrest related to coronavirus.
Eugene “Taper” Thompson, of Brookhaven Mississippi, died over the weekend after battling coronavirus-in a hospital.
Thompson, 46, was a well known businessman who owned 2 successful Taper Nation barbershops and was a role model to 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.
Thompson made house calls after he was forced to close his shops during the quarantine. He advertised his house call services on social media.
On March 17, Thompson informed his followers that he was feeling feverish after making one last house call. He got tested for coronavirus and went into self-isolation on March 22.
Two days later he was admitted to a hospital with flu-like symptoms and dehydration. In a message on Facebook, Thompson advised his clients that his barbershop would be closed “for the rest of the week.”
In the caption of a photo that showed him wearing a face mask, Thompson urged his followers to “Quarantine yourself away from people… places… things…”
He added: “I felt a little [achy]… fever was a little high so I came to get checked… Tapernation will be closed for the rest of the week… well deserved rest and relaxation.”
Clients paid tribute to Thompson on social media.
