Girl Grieving Her Late Mom Approaches Bus Driver, Asks Her to Fix Her Hair

Young girls need their mothers to help them navigate the different phases of life. When one child lost her mom, she needed assistance with her hair every day, and she found support in an unlikely place. 

Children who lose their parents at a young age don’t have a chance to learn essential skills from them. They must figure many things out for themselves unless kind friends, family, or even strangers, offer to lend a helping hand.

One 11-year-old girl missed her mother and struggled to do various daily routines without the parent who was always there for her. To her surprise, a considerate woman from Utah came to her rescue and made each morning brighter. 

A MOTHER’S LOVE

Isabella Pieri adored her mother, Patricia, and when she passed away from a rare brain illness, the little girl was shattered. She looked up to her mom and needed her love and guidance to navigate life. 

Her father, Philip, tried to provide the direction his child needed, but it was challenging with three other kids to care for. He also worked long hours to make ends meet and couldn’t get around to everything. 

One of the tasks Patricia took care of was Isabella’s hair. Philip attempted to fix his daughter’s locks, but he failed dismally. He shared: 

“She’d get mad at me for pulling her hair. I didn’t know how to do it.”

HE HAD HER HAIR CUT SHORT

A desperate Philip sent his daughter to get a short haircut so her locks would be more manageable. Sadly, Isabella missed her long tresses.  

The father stated:

“I originally just gave her a crew cut because I didn’t know how, and it was all tangled and I couldn’t get it out for anything.” 

“The only way we’ll get that big mess out of it is just to cut it all off and start all over again,” Philip continued. The short style didn’t suit his young daughter, and when it finally grew longer, she struggled to manage it again. 

HER NEW HAIRSTYLE

To the father’s surprise, Isabella arrived home from school one day with a stunning hairstyle. He shared: “[Isabella] came home, and it looked beautiful.”

He called her his princess and saw her confidence boost instantly. He was also stunned to see the significant difference her new hairstyle made to her sense of self-worth. 

In 2018, the dad was surprised to learn a stranger helped his daughter with her hair—a 47-year-old cancer survivor and bus driver was the kind-hearted woman who braided Isabella’s hair. 

THE HEROIC BUS DRIVER

Tracy Dean noticed that the youngster struggled with her hair and was afraid to ask if she needed help. She didn’t want to offend her and was thrilled when Isabella asked her for assistance. 

She said: “When a friend of [Isabella’s] asked me to help her with a braid, I told her ‘yes.'” A few weeks later, Isabella was brave and bold enough to ask Dean if she was willing to style her hair as well.  

Dean showed the young girl how to do two French braids, and occasionally they opted for only one braid. The driver also gave the 11-year-old some tips on brushing her hair to avoid tangling and knots. 

THE BUS DRIVER TAUGHT HER THE NEEDED SKILLS

Dean, a bus driver in the Alpine School District for ten years, was honored to braid the girl’s hair each morning and stated that her mom taught her to be nice to every person she met. 

Philip was immensely grateful for the help, and he called Dean and lovely woman. His daughter also took more pride in her hair and styling skills.

After she learned how to do her hair by herself, she would get onto the bus and ask Dean if her hair looked good. The driver always replied: “You did awesome.”

HER INSPIRING MOTTO

Dean’s simple gesture quickly went viral online, with people applauding her actions worldwide. It wasn’t a big deal for the bus driver, and helping those in need came naturally. 

She noted:

“You know, this is just who I am. I’ve always tried to look outside of the box because we are all different. We all have different stories. You never know what someone might be going through.”

Her mission was to make people smile as often as possible, and she was undoubtedly succeeding in her mission. The driver stated that she wasn’t perfect but did her best to improve the world.

Dean also hoped that more people would be considerate and caring. Her story encourages us to try and help friends, family, and strangers who come across our paths. What do you think about her special gesture? 

Click here for another beautiful story about a poor woman who allowed a stranger to spend a night in her home. She found a surprise on her doorstep the following day.