Bus driver 'Miss Sparkles' brightens every child's morning with love and kindness: 'A true gem'

Small acts of kindness make the world a better place to live in and can make someone's day. Lori Brooks, a school bus driver in Michigan, tries to spread a little kindness and smile, everywhere she goes. Due to her positive nature, she has been given the nickname, "Miss Sparkles," per TODAY. It is easy to see why, as she adds a little sparkle to the world, with her presence. Teresa Weakley—who goes by @teresa_weakley on TikTok—uploaded a video of Brooks greeting children on their first day back on the bus. It is evident how much she cares about every student, with the way she addresses them.

Weakly uploaded the video with a caption appreciating Brooks, "She remembers every kid’s name, every year (and their brothers and sisters)." The kids at the beginning of the video are running to Brooks and hugging her. She asks everyone, "How are you?" and enquires everyone about how their summer went. She made sure to inform all of them, how much she missed them.

She greeted a child named Parker, by saying, "Hello there, Parker, How are you? Did you have a good summer?" No matter how crowded it got she ensured that every child on board got a hug. After that, another child Kathleen comes onto the bus, Brooks compliments her on the flips she saw her doing over the summer. She felt that it was a testament to Kathleen's flexibility, as the flips were “like a rubber band.” It is evident that she is well-loved not only by the children but also by their family, as she is handed a coffee cup, by a child (probably someone's sibling) and then she sets off appreciative of the kind gesture. All of this is a result of the constant dedication she has shown towards her job.

Weakley's community regards her highly for her effort to bring smiles to everybody's faces. Weakley, who works as, a morning anchor with NBC affiliate WOODTV, called Brooks an unwavering “ray of sunshine.” Both of her children ride with Brooks. Talking about what is unique about Brooks she shares, "She's just incredible at making everyone feel special." No matter how busy she gets, she never misses a chance to make someone else feel loved. Her schedule is packed, as she juggles between being a driver, cheerleader, surrogate mom and an advice-giver.

Weakley's children are amongst the many who confide in Brooks, about their problems. She shares, “I’m good at reading facial expressions. I can see in their eyes when they’re struggling and I let them know they can come to me." For a decade, Brooks has been working as a driver. Even though people might think that such a job has no impact, she disagrees. “No matter what you do, I think you can change the world a little bit,” Brooks adds. “Everybody has such value in this life.”

Brooks is a favorite of students and she frequently gets showered by gifts and drawings from them. If a child forgets something, she allows them to get it back and keeps the bus waiting for them. 2021 was a hard year for her, as she lost the love of her life. The love that she showed to others came back to her as support. She was bombarded with meals and cards. “The kids drew me pictures and that made me smile—because there I am with my big hair and big jewelry,” she says. “Coco Chanel said before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take at least one thing off. My motto is, ‘Add more.’”

Brooks has been having a hard year as her sister was diagnosed with colon cancer. However, she does not let her struggles affect her work and is always pleasant with the children. She did not take a considerable break and jumped back because meeting with children and her job gave her so much joy. She knows that the children heal her, and in return, she wants to help them be the best version of themselves. Her message is, "Kindness is the cure for everything."

The comment section loved the interaction. @chris.zoladz called the children lucky, "What a gift to have her as your kids’ bus driver!" @faithkarp420 is impressed and commented, "It's giving magic school bus vibes. Those kiddos are gonna remember her forever."