Their story is a testament to the idea that even the smallest acts of kindness can have a profound ripple effect, spreading happiness and positivity far beyond their initial impact.
Because Thursday is trash day, Brooklyn Andracke likes them.
Every Thursday morning, he impatiently looks out the front window for the garbage truck to arrive. Delver Dopson also waves and honks at the little kid every Thursday morning.
Back in the days when they didn’t have a truck, Brooklyn’s mother, Traci, said, “I would drive around the neighborhood and find a garbage truck and wave.”
Brooklyn wanted to share her birthday cake with Delvar for her birthday on Thursday, so she waited for the delivery at the end of the driveway.
Delvar pulled up to Brooklyn’s house, got out of the truck, and they met for the first time. Delvar said he was trying to leave the meeting quickly so he could see them, and Traci said how much the honking and waving meant to them.
Brooklyn was unusually quiet in the van that morning, according to Traci: “I asked her if she was okay and she said, ‘Mom, I’m very happy.’
“Every day is wonderful, but this is someone’s favorite day of the week,” someone said. In a Facebook post, Delvar. “Well, that’s mine too, Lol,” someone said.
Delvar showed up at Brooklyn’s house the following Thursday with belated birthday presents for Brooklyn.
“He walked her to the other side of the truck and pulled out the most incredible, amazing, kindest birthday gifts for her,” Traci recalled. He claimed that after doing some research, he found out that she liked the movie Frozen, so his wife created this amazing basket full of everything from the movie.
“Just because I can finish a route doesn’t mean my job is done. It’s when I can convince someone to decide to smile,” Delvar wrote on Facebook.
Since then, Delvar and Brooklyn have grown closer. Delvar sent videos of his trash-picking routine to Brooklyn with the tagline, “A little stinky, but always a smiley face.”
A month later, on the Thursday of Tracy’s birthday, Delvar arrived with a dozen pink and purple cupcakes for the family.
Their story challenges us to look beyond our differences and embrace the shared humanity that unites us all.
As Brooklyn continues to look forward to Thursdays and Delvar enjoys putting a smile on her face, their friendship serves as a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful and beautiful connections are made in the most unexpected places.
May their heart-wrenching story inspire us to be a little kinder, a little more attentive, and a little more present in the lives of those around us. Let’s cherish the moments that bring us joy and look for opportunities to bring joy to others. For, as the story of Brooklyn and Delvar beautifully illustrates, it is in simple acts of kindness that we find the true essence of humanity.