Girl who lost her mom had no one to style her hair for school — so her bus driver agreed to braid it every day for her

The little girl was lost and confused as she tried to groom herself, and the bus driver stepped in most assuringly.

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(L) Little girl with messy, undone hair. (R) Female bus driver sitting in a bus. (Representative Cover Image Source: Unsplash | (L) Abd Sarakbi; (R) Milan Popovic)

Simple things like getting a child ready for school are one of the core memories engraved in the hearts of parents and children over time. Being woken up on time, wearing a clean uniform and getting hair done creates a bonding time for many kids with their parents. In 2018, a then-11-year-old Isabella Pieri missed out on this after her mum passed away due to a rare illness, per KSL TV. Her dad, Philip Pieri, would go to work early, and over the years, she learned to get ready on her own. When her bus driver, Tracy Dean, learned of the situation, she stepped in to help in the most assuring way.

Woman affectionately and gentle doing daughter's hair. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Artem Podrez)

“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,” Philip recalled. It was an unusual feeling for Isabella as she navigated how to do her hair for school. She tried a ponytail and other things, but it did not end up the way she expected. When she hopped onto her school bus one day, she saw Dean fixing another student’s braids. Isabella mustered the courage to ask Dean if she could help with her braids, too. Dean immediately agreed and, without hesitation, continued to offer to help with her braids regularly.

Little girl trying to comb her own hair. (Representative Image Source: Unsplash| Photo by Aritra Roy)

As a mom herself, Dean was well-acquainted with the idea of kids and preparing them for school. “You can’t be shy, you’ve got to talk to them. You treat them like your own kids, you know,” she said. Moreover, being a breast cancer survivor, she herself pondered what her kids would be like if she were not around. “Seven years ago, I found out I had breast cancer, and that’s one of the things that went through my head — who is going to take care of my little ones? Not that my husband couldn’t do it, but you know, that’s what moms do. They do their kids’ hair,” she remarked.

Little girl getting hair braided. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Pavel Danilyuk)

A video shared on Facebook by KSL 5 TV captured Dean sitting Isabella down, spraying, combing and neatly braiding her hair ever so gently, giving the girl excitement and a smile. Dean did not just offer to do Isabella’s hair, she offered an uplift to her personality. The duo bonded emotionally over their little hairdo periods. “It makes me feel like she’s a mom pretty much to me. And it makes me excited for the next day to see what she does,” the little girl exclaimed. Her dad and teacher noticed that Isabella seemed more confident, more presentable and more positive after having someone help with her hair.

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“Tracy didn’t have to step up, but she stepped up to help out. I was amazed,” the dad said. It might be the littlest thing, but the difference it’s made in the little girl’s life is one she will remember forever. Many people commended the woman for her thoughtfulness and ever-ready attitude to help the kids. Dixie Nichelson said, Thanks, Tracy! You are a game changer.” Clea Bowen Comte added, “This is wonderful.”