Neighbors Are In Awe As They Watch A Little Girl Approach Her Favorite Garbage Man
Everyone in the neighborhood knew the local garbage man, Delvar Dopson. What they didn't know was he had a number one fan, three-year-old Brooklyn Andracke.
So, when Dopson hopped out of his truck one morning to meet the little girl, a neighbor knew she had to get it on camera. Little did she know what was actually happening.
Everyone Knew Devlar Dopson
Delvar Dopson had been the garbage man in Bloomington, Illinois, for years. His Thursday route brought him to the same neighborhood, his face easily recognized by the residents of the community.
While people didn't know Dopson personally, there was one little girl who looked forward to seeing the sanitation worker each week -- Brooklyn Andracke.
Brooklyn Was A Huge Fan
Dopson would ride down the road each Thursday, knowing little three-year-old Brooklyn would be waiting in her home's front window. When he drove past the house, Dopson would then honk the truck's loud horn and wave.
The thing is, no one knew why the garbage man was so infatuated with that particular family.
Each Thursday Was The Same
It turned out that the little girl loved watching Dopson ride his big garbage truck down the street. It was actually her favorite part of each Thursday morning! Brooklyn was Dopson's number one fan.
In fact, she enjoyed watching him so much that Brooklyn wanted to do something special for the garbage man.
It Was The Favorite Part Of Her Week
Waiting and waving to Dopson was Brooklyn's favorite part of the week. According to Brooklyn's mom, Traci, "To Brooklyn, he is our favorite awesome smiley garbage man."
Their little back and forth with one another on Thursday mornings went on for weeks. But there was one thing Brooklyn wanted more than anything -- to meet the garbage man face to face.
Brooklyn Was Infatuated With Dopson
Instead of waiting for Dopson from inside her home, Traci would take Brooklyn outside, a bit closer so she could see her favorite person a little bit better.
According to Traci, "It became all about him after that. It wasn't the 'garbage truck' anymore, but it was the 'garbage man' that she wanted to see."
Fast Friends With Brother Ty As Well
Brooklyn wasn't the only one in the family to love Thursdays...her brother Ty did as well! Traci posted a photo of the friendship they shared as well.
"In this week's edition of....our favorite day of the week with Delvar....it was a dance party. Ty loves to dance, and he taught Delvar his signature move. It’s a drop low, lean to one side and shake fists in the air type of move...name still TBD. They both rocked it!"
Up Next: The Almost Perfect Birthday Party
Fast-forward to Brooklyn's birthday. It was a perfect day, except for one crucial detail: it was a Wednesday, and the garbage man wouldn't be driving down the road.
The little girl and her mom had a plan, though, wanting Dopson to celebrate the big day with them since he meant so much to Brooklyn.
Traci And Brooklyn Wanted Dopson To Be Involved
The next day was Thursday, meaning Dopson would be driving through the neighborhood. Brooklyn could hardly wait. Even though it wasn't her birthday anymore, she stood outside with her mom, ready to give Dopson a little piece of the celebration.
When he drove up to their house, he couldn't contain his smile when Traci motioned for him to walk over.
Brooklyn Was Very Shy
Brooklyn was waiting for him with a cupcake from her party the previous day. She wanted her favorite person to feel like he was included in the celebration!
With a very shy smile, Brooklyn handed over the cupcake. But, meeting her hero, she was at a loss for words. A very out-of-character occurrence, according to Traci!
The Little Girl Was At A Loss For Words
During an interview, Traci said, "As a mom, I can't even describe how happy it made me that she got to finally meet him."
"She was literally starstruck and could not even say a word. I had to do all of the talking for her. And she is never usually short on words."
Even So, It Made Her Day
Even though she couldn't form a word to say to Dopson, Brooklyn was beyond thrilled to have met her favorite person.
According to Traci, "I explained to him that he makes our day every Thursday, and we really appreciate the honking and waving, and how special of a day it is for us."
"Mommy, I'm So Happy"
Even so, Traci couldn't help but wonder what was on Brooklyn's mind. She was being so quiet. "After he left, we continued on to daycare," Traci said during an interview.
"Brooklyn was unusually quiet in the backseat. I asked her if she was okay, and she said, 'Mommy, I'm so happy.'"
Another Suprise Was On The Way
While meeting Dopson in person made Brooklyn's day; the friendship was just beginning. One week later, on Thursday, the little girl's favorite garbage man came through the neighborhood like he always does.
Only, this time, he had a very special surprise for the little girl, something that was going to make her smile.
Dopson Arrived With A Large Box
Seeing Brooklyn and Traci waving from their yard like every week, Dopson pulled over. Traci wasn't sure what was happening. It was then that she saw the very large box he was totting behind him.
With a big smile, Dopson handed the box to Brooklyn. It was a belated birthday present for the little girl!
Brooklyn Couldn't Believe All Of The Frozen Toys
Opening the box, Brooklyn's eyes lit up. The box was filled with toys from her favorite Disney movie, Frozen. Everything had pictures of Elsa and Ana on it; Brooklyn couldn't have been more excited.
The unexpected gesture was so heartfelt, Traci and Brooklyn knew they had to do something to thank Dopson.
"Thank You Devlar"
Brooklyn thought long and hard about what she wanted to do to thank Dopson for the amazing Frozen gift. Finally, she came up with the perfect plan! That Thursday, she ran outside with her mother to Dopson.
There, she handed him a homemade poster with a large "Thank you Delvar" written in various colors.
The Sign Was Put In A Special Place
Not expecting anything in return for the birthday gift, Dopson was speechless. He even got some tears in his eyes as he held the homemade poster up. He knew exactly where he was going to put it, too.
Dopson decided to hang the poster up in his truck so that the entire neighborhood could see it!
A Special Holiday Guest
Naturally, the holidays weren't complete without a very special guest. No, we're not talking about Santa Claus, though, we're sure he made an appearance as well.
Dopson joined the Andrackes for a visit during the holiday season. We're sure his presence was the greatest gift he could give the kids!
The Cupcake Tradition Lives On
What better way to celebrate the holidays than with the dessert that started it all—cupcakes!
Here, Dopson is "cupcake cheersing" Ty as Traci calls it. The pair truly couldn't look any happier.
A Neighborhood Celebrity
The people in the neighborhood didn't understand the relationship between their local garbage man and the little girl.
That is, not until they stopped and watched their beautiful exchange week after week.
Friends For Life
As it turned out, Dopson was a bit of a celebrity with some of the other kids around the neighborhood, too!
An avid family man, Dopson does what he can to make kids, like Brooklyn, smile. And he did just that, having it caught on camera for the world to see.
They're Still Besties!
Recently Brooklyn celebrated her 9th birthday. To commemorate the very special occasion, Dopson asked his social media followers to give their best wishes.
"Please help me wish the coolest kiddo in the land, 'BROOKLYN' a "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
Wishing you a day filled with HAPPINESS and a year filled with JOY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIDDO."
Dopson Truly Cared
Even though the video of Dopson and Brooklyn's friendship went viral, social media fame was not the reason why Dopson cared so deeply.
Little did they know, but Dopson had always wanted to help others achieve their potential. Keep reading to see what motivated him!
Dopson Had Goals Himself
In fact, his beautiful relationship with Brooklyn and being a garbage man were just the stepping stone for what Dopson truly wanted to do with his life.
During evenings, Dopson studied endlessly to pass his realtor examination.
From A Garbage Man To A Real Estate Agent
He did, becoming a licensed real estate agent in Nevada. But that isn't where his story ends.
As seen with Brooklyn and the other children in the neighborhood, Dopson had a true zest for life and making other people happy. See how he carries that passion forward through life!
Naturally, They Threw Dopson A Last Day Party
To celebrate Dopson getting his real estate license and moving on from driving a garbage truck, Traci, Brooklyn, Ty and the family threw Dopson a very special last-day party.
The festivities were posted all over social media and it looks like the perfect send-off for the person who made Thursdays so special for them.
Now, Dopson Is A Motivational Speaker
It was that feeling of helping people that led Dopson to become a motivational speaker.
Dopson is a huge part of the Eregon 206 movement, spreading his words of encouragement and inspiring people of many different backgrounds.
Wise Words From Dopson
Never shy about spreading his wisdom and love for helping others, Dopson posted on Facebook a few words that he lives by:
"Discovery of your purpose and potential sets you free from other people's prescription of what they think you should be". His and Brooklyn's friendship is truly inspiring and just shows how a little bit of kindness can change someone's life.
