Mother pens heartfelt letter of gratitude to school bus driver who befriended her 6-year-old

Navigating through this world alone without any emotional or social support can be tough. Having even just one good friend by your side can make a huge difference and this mom from South Carolina recognizes that. She is profoundly grateful to her six-year-old son's school bus driver for being a good friend and influence on the youngster and sought to express this through a letter.

Kelly Isenberg of Summerville wrote a letter to the Berkeley County School District to appreciate Charles Frierson, who started driving for the school district in 2022. Isenberg shared with Good Morning America, "I just wanted him to know how much we truly, truly appreciate him for everything that he's done for Kameron, so I figured the best way that I could do that is just to write him a letter."

In the letter, she wrote, "I have always believed angels come when you least expect them. This holds especially true in regard to Mr. Charles, the bus driver of school bus #220 of Berkeley County, SC." Isenberg went on to describe her son's difficult transition to kindergarten and how Kameron's unexpected friendship with Frierson—who drove the boy to and from Cane Bay Elementary School every day—helped the six-year-old to adapt better to positive changes.

"Mr. Charles goes above and beyond every day for my son," Isenberg wrote. "From simple things such as them eating lunch or bringing my son his favorite ice cream for the two of them to eat together, extra treats being slipped into his backpack as he gets off the bus, to bigger things such as taking time out of his weekend to come to my son's baseball games."

Frierson met Kameron on his first day of school. Kameron's special education teacher, Stephanie Williams, said the two unlikely friends appeared to have an instant connection. "Kameron knocked on the [school bus] door and Mr. Charles came up to the front and opened the door, and [he was] excited to see him. I said, 'I know we're early [but can Kameron] get on the bus for a little bit and chat with you?' And that's all it took," Williams recalled. 

"The way he glows when he sees Mr. Charles, it's something that's indescribable," the veteran teacher added. "Mr. Charles truly is an angel walking here on earth because Kameron was struggling and he has done a complete 180 -- and Mr. Charles has even encouraged him to do things that [he did] not always want to do." 

Driving school buses for four years, Frierson expresses that his job means more to him than just driving a vehicle, and he's thankful for his friendship with young Kameron, who he says "means the world" to him. "Sometimes you don't know what kids may be going through, and that 'Good morning. Have a good day. How you doing?'... that relationship and small communication with them makes a difference. So, that's what I enjoy doing," Frierson shared.

Speaking of his young friend, he added: "He's an amazing, bright little 6-year-old that I call 'my little buddy' and will always be my little buddy... to know him and to be around [him] is to love him. You've gotta love him."

Frierson and Kameron may not see each other every day now that the school is shut down for the summer, but they say they will stay in touch. Kameron expressed his desire to engage in a water fight and eat more ice cream with his bus driver. Isenberg and her son now consider Frierson a family member.

"We definitely plan on seeing Mr. Charles a lot this summer. I can't keep them boys apart from each other long," said Isenberg. Frierson chimed in, "I'm looking forward to our little ice cream and McDonald's date, the waterpark, and hopefully... we can get out. I'm looking to still be a positive light in whatever he [does]."