8-year-old learns sign language to surprise her deaf delivery driver with a 'good morning'

An 8-year-old's unlikely friendship with her local delivery driver is now being hailed a lesson in empathy and kindness. Young Tallulah from Ashton-Under-Lyne in Greater Manchester, won hearts across the internet after she learned sign language to be able to communicate her gratitude and appreciation for Hermes delivery driver Tim Joseph, who has been delivering parcels on the street twice a week. A heartwarming video of the two friends conversing in sign language recently went viral on social media as people swooned over their adorable and wholesome interaction.

According to Daily Mail, the video captured by Tallulah's mother, Amy Roberts, shows the young girl standing near her garden gates and greeting Joseph with the words 'have a good day' in sign language. This is our @Hermesparcels delivery man, we see him 1 or 2 times a week. [At the] start of lockdown Tallulah drew him a [thank you rainbow]. He still has it proudly on show in his van. They have built up quite a friendship over these last few weeks, Roberts tweeted along with the video.

The clip, which has since received over 53k likes on Twitter, reportedly shows Tallulah greeting the delivery driver with the words "Have a good day" in sign language. The pleasantly surprised Joseph, in turn, teaches her how to sign "Good morning, have a good day" which she enthusiastically repeats as he beams with joy. Speaking to BBC, Joseph opened up about how the adorable youngster's sweet gesture made him feel. "Tallulah realized I was deaf and then one day she surprised me when she signed to me, 'have a good day,' I think she learned sign language at school," he said.

"I was very happy and I then showed Tallulah how to sign, 'good morning, have a good day,' and then she signed it perfectly and it made my day," he added. As Roberts mentioned in her tweet, the youngster also drew her friend a rainbow thank you note as a gesture of gratitude for delivering parcels amid the coronavirus crisis. He has kept the note in his van ever since. Joseph added that all the positive and heartwarming responses on social media have left him overwhelmed.

Expressing hope that the video will encourage more people to learn sign language, he said: "I hope more people learn to sign and we bring more people together." Roberts later tweeted another adorable photo of the two friends showing their appreciation for the love they've received online. Tallulah & Tim just had their Tuesday catch up. Like us, Tim is overwhelmed with everyone's lovely comments and interest. He signed to us that he cried with joy. So thank you in a world where you can be anything, she tweeted.

Hermes Parcels also commented on the video of Tallulah and Joseph's wholesome interaction, writing: Hi Amy. This is lovely to see. We're glad that the driver is offering such lovely service and has become friends with Tallulah :) Please could you pop us a DM with a recent tracking number and contact details so we can get him the praise he deserves? Take care, SB. Twitter user Carrie Hopwood also praised the friends for their heartwarming bond: You are a very special and beautiful little girl Tallulah. He is the best delivery driver we have around here! He’s always so pleased/happy when we sign hello and thank you to him. Another Twitter user, Nadia Arif, tweeted: He's so lovely isn't he? Absolutely brilliant. Even though he can't speak he manages to get what he wants to say across. A lovely gentleman, who is definitely overworked at the moment with all these deliveries.