Mullet for Maci: The sad reason Ryker Masters, 2, will chop off his ‘killer mullet’ for cancer charity

A loveable two-year-old is about to chop off his ‘killer mullet’ to raise money for a charity close to his family’s heart – to honour the big sister he never met.

Ryker Masters, 2, will chop off his mullet to raise money for a cancer charity while dad Tim Masters will take off his beard, also to raise money. Four years ago Ryker’s big sister died from a rare brain tumour. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Tragically, little Ryker Masters never got to meet his big sister Maci-Louise but the two-year-old is determined to make her proud.

He is readying to cut off the mullet he has spent much of his life growing, to raise money for childhood cancer charities.

Dad Tim, 32, wants to do his part too, preparing to cut off the beard he has been growing since his beloved daughter got sick and died from a rare brain cancer in mid January four years.

“Due to the cancer (craniopharyngioma) she lost her eyesight and (my beard) became a comfort thing for her … she would grab my face and knew that it was me and said ‘don’t shave your beard’ and I have had it since,” he said.

2024 KID MULLET CUP NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN: SCROLL TO ENTER BELOW

Doting dad Tim Masters with his ‘little princess’ Maci-Louise. Picture: Supplied

Little Maci-Louise lost who fight with a rare brain tumour aged six, in January 2020. Picture: Supplied

“People think you are being biased but she was amazing, the perfect baby and just the best kid … she didn’t have a bad bone in her body.

“She was our little princess who everyone loved; she was captivating and happy, even up to the day she passed – she had an infectious personality.”

The forklift driver, who now has a tattoo resembling the scar left after Maci’s surgery, said his family wanted to give back to some of the charities that provided care at a heartbreaking time.

Tim Masters with his ‘amazing’ daughter Maci-Louise while she was in hospital. Picture: Supplied

“They’ve given us so much and the support is still ongoing … there are some incredible people out there,” he said.

“The little fellow is a loveable, good looking kid with some charisma about him … the mullet is looking a killer so it will be a shame to see it go but we just want to be able to help someone else.”

Tim Masters and partner Jessica Blades lost their eldest daughter, Maci-Louise, in January 2020 aged just six. They are pictured with her siblings Amelia, 8, and Ryker, 2. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Mr Masters said he and partner Jessica Blades, 29, who also have an eight-year-old daughter, Amelia, want Maci to remain a guiding light for their surviving children

“The biggest thing I want for my kids to take out of her book is to love everybody and every thing … to just be friendly, to be kind, to treat everybody with respect ... to make sure they are living for her too – they have to live a life and a half because Maci is not here.”

You can donate to the fundraiser directly here, and little Ryker has been nominated in the The Advertiser’s annual Kids Mullet Cup.

To enter, take a photo of your child’s glorious mullet and enter before nominations close on Monday, January 22, at 8am.

NOMINATE BELOW TO ENTER SA’S 2024 KID MULLET CUP

Nominations close Monday, January 22, at 8am. Finalists will be put to a reader vote later on January 22, closing on Wednesday, January 31, at 8am. You must be a digital subscriber to vote in The Advertiser’s Mullet Cup. One only vote per subscriber will be recorded.The winner will be announced at a later date and be awarded the 2024 Kid Mullet Cup trophy.