Note: this article first appeared in The Layer in February 2105. For GIBS Grooming chief executive officer Brian ‘Gib’ Long, it’s been a long, strange trip to the grooming industry. Entrepreneurial in nature, he has instinctively capitalized on voracious consumer demand throughout his career. And there are no more voracious consumers than hungry Deadheads outside of Grateful Dead concerts, where a teenage Long made enough hawking veggie burritos and tie-dye T-shirts to support himself on the road following the band for some six years.

Retired from the tour and settled in Colorado, where he could snowboard at will, New York native Long figured he’d bring a taste of his hometown to Rocky Mountain country. He opened ...

Cancer sucks, because 1 year ago January 10th, is the day that it claimed the life of my mother.

My mother was the heart and soul of my family, the proverbial rock. She fought cancer for 3 years, a rare form of liver cancer at stage 4. 2 and half years ago, we were preparing for the worst. But the warrior that she was, she fought it off to being stable!! Stable for almost a year, we thought things were on the up and up. It was just a tease. The cancer came back stronger but in a different area. They tried chemo, and other therapies. They just wouldn't work. So they finally decided to put her in clinical trials. Unfortunately they didn't work either.

I've never know anyone like her to fight something off so horrible, only for it to co...

Hello,

My name is Miguel, I am a cancer survivor. I was 21 when I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma, which was 5 years ago. One of the 4 tumors was actually wrapped around my spine, hindering me ability to walk, and made me completely numb from the waist down.

It took me 11 months to walk on my own again, no crutches or walker. I essentially had to re-learn to walk. Aside from not being able to walk, I had to deal with chemo, radiation, and all the crazy things that stem from that. Hairloss, bloating, all the different medications, bloodwork, bone marrow tests... I can go on forever.

For me, chemo lasted 7 months, once every two weeks. It was awful, but I powered through it. That was by far the most difficult thing I'd ever deal...

My grandfather, Aubrey Almond, was a great man.

He served 22 years in the United States Air Force, and 19 years making rounds, from .22 cal to .50 cal, at a local weapons manufacturer. He was one of the smartest men I know, and had a glorious beard. He was the main reason why I enlisted in to the United States Army.

Going into my 3rd enlisted year, he was struck with pancreatic cancer and fought for 9 months before he lost his life. He is always missed and always loved.

He was the man who taught me how to be a great man. I still visit him everytime I go home.

- Joshua Davis

This story is about my grandfather, Pappy.

He was a hard-working husband, father, and grandfather. He was rough around the edges, but you always knew that he loved his family. Christmas time was always special to him. Grandma and Pappy always went all-out, decorating the inside and outside of their home, and we had such a wonderful time every Christmas Eve with the entire family at their home.

Unfortunately, he had two major vices, drinking and smoking. He was always careful to go outside to smoke when we were around, but despite constant nagging to get him to quit, he smoked up until his last day. After years of suffering, a combination of emphyzema, lung cancer, and liver disease took him from us, and in a way, took some of the joy...

Hello bearded brethren,

I am here to share the story of my beautiful sister, Mindy. She was diagnosed with brain cancer in July 2014. She was a fighter, she took it head on, and had it removed. In spite of the difficulties with the removal of a brain tumor, she fought on, even in spite of the stoke that hit her in February. Shortly after that though, the tumor returned, and on September 14th, it sadly took my sister.

I cherish her and admire the fight she put up. I will always admire her for that, and the life she lived prior. I will always remember her, and the life she inspired in me.

- David Chamberlin

My aunt gracie got breast cancer 3 years ago.

My family wasn't so close, but this brought all of us closer together, and, as sad as this is, it was beautiful seeing my family stick together and cheer my aunt.

Unfortunately she lost her breasts, but beat cancer. God bless all of you and f*ck cancer! Keep on fighting!

- Josh Figueroa

In just over the last decade, I've lost three family members to cancer. Sadly, all 3 of them were lung cancer, due to smoking, in which they could still be alive today if they would've stopped when it was detected early on.

My Grandmother was the first to go, and she had cancer of the lungs 3 times before she passed. She was a great influence in my life, and I know she was always happy to know that I am highly allergic to cigarettes, and that I wouldn't be like most of my family, smoking their life away.

My Uncle was the next to go from lung cancer. Him and I weren't close for most of my life, as he was a mean dude, but as I got older, him and I started to share a bond of music and cars. I was at my Grandfather's house a few days bef...

So my gmom, 84 years old, has breast cancer, has been fighting it, and has taken chemo! The doctor told her her heart was too weak to keep going, but guess what, she went home, got strong again, and is now on the road again to beat it! One tough old lady!

- "Wero" Ismael Rodriguez

So about three years ago my younger brother, at the age of 27, was diagnosed with melanoma after his mole, from his childhood, one day fell off, even after getting it checked out and it being all good.

Well then, all of a sudden, two months later, a lump pops up under his right armpit area. Then it was all downhill really fast from there, with numerous trips to the cross cancer hospital. Wow, what an emotional roller coaster!

Well then one day my mom needed help getting him to the hospital, which sadly was a horrible visit. Because that was when the hammer came down, and him only having 24-48 hours. So yes, cancer can screw off lol..

I just thank god for the time we had together and that I will one day see him again...

- Jeremy A...