Single dad gave his 11-year-old girl a buzz cut. Then she made a powerful request of her school bus driver

Isabella Pieri was 9 years old when she lost her mother to a rare disease. “That’s my mom,” she said, pointing to a picture frame behind her. “She was really kind; she loved other people.” After her mother's demise, Pieri had to grow up rapidly, in a short period of time, knowing that she would have to take care of herself all on her own from here on. Starting with packing her bag, dressing herself, and brushing her hair — Pieri did not have any proportionate caregiver to fall back on. Her father was there, of course, but he could not handle much more than running the house and keeping the kids safe, let alone learning how to braid his daughter’s long hair. Since schools emphasize students maintaining a neat and clean appearance, Pieri would find herself struggling to tame her locks every morning. This prompted Pieri’s dad to get her a short crew cut in an attempt to do away with the hair problem altogether, but the thing about hair — it grows back.

One day, after boarding her school bus, Pieri noticed their bus driver, Mrs. Tracy Dean, tying another girl’s hair. Immediately, it gave Pieri hope — perhaps she did not have to brave it all alone; perhaps there was somebody who could potentially help her out. She drummed up some courage and approached Dean with her proposition — one that she was overjoyed to accept. “I think to myself: what if it was my child, you know?” Dean told NBC while tearing up. A mother of four, Dean had been diagnosed with cancer about 7 years ago, so she was continuously wondering what her own kids would do without her, how difficult it would be for them to go about their day without a mother having their back.

“Tracy is the best bus driver in the whole galaxy,” Pieri told NBC while playing with a toy. The support that Dean brought into her life significantly morphed her daily mood, instilling a sense of courage in her that had long gone missing. Noticing the spring in her step, Pieri’s teacher, Mrs. Anne Freeze, wrote a letter for Dean. “Dear Transportation Ladies, I am a teacher at Greenwood Elementary, and I wanted to bring to your attention that you have a ‘game changer’— this driver that deserves to know that she is appreciated so much.” The letter also brings more insight into Pieri’s background, stating, “Her single dad struggles greatly to make a living for his two children and often is not home in the morning when they send themselves off to school…”

Dean strongly believes that she survived cancer for this greater purpose. “I didn’t just survive for my husband or my children; I survived for these kids on the bus that need somebody to talk to or do their hair or whatever — I feel pretty blessed!” she told NBC, emotions rushing up her throat.

The story brought viewers to tears, with several exclaiming how incredible this act of kindness really is, and the far-reaching impact it will have on these children. @murrayadams6224 wrote, “To the bus driver. You are a sent angel for these kids. God bless you.” @MysLed wrote, “Thank goodness for her kind heart and willingness to look beyond just her job title!”