garbage man
Jade Small
Jade Small
May 3, 2022 ·  4 min read

Neighbors are in Awe as they Watch a Little Girl Approach her Favorite Garbage Man

A Secret Life of Mom Highlight Story: Sometimes there are stories that are just too good, too beautiful, or too unbelievable to keep locked away. That’s why we scour the archives and bring some of them back to enjoy again. They may make you smile or shed a tear, but they’re always meant to add a little positivity to your day. Enjoy! 

There is nothing like a heartwarming story. Especially when having a really bad day. Hearing good news or reading something positive can truly lift your spirits. We have a story today that is sure to set you on the right path of positivity. It is not a new story, but still worth sharing all the same. It is the story of a little girl, who, in 2016, surprised her neighbors by running out to meet her “favorite” garbage man.

Garbage men, the Unsung Heroes

Not many people think about this at all, but imagine a world where there are no garbage men. It would be a ghastly place with plastic and paper flying around us permanently. We should praise our garbage men, but instead, many of us tend to look down on those people. This is not the case for a little Brooklyn Andracke, a three-year-old who just adores the man who comes to collect the garbage from her home in Bloomington, Illinois. The garbage man’s name is Delvar Dopson, and he has been taking this route for many years. 

Devlar Dopson
Devlar Dopson/Facebook

Brooklyn Waves to Him Every Thursday

Delvar has a friendly face, with an even friendlier smile. He is well-liked within the community, but not many people would come out and greet him personally. Brooklyn, however, would wait at her window waiting for Delvar to make his appearance in his truck. As soon as he got near her house, he would honk his horn. Brooklyn would excitedly run out to greet the man, he was her hero after all. He got to drive this huge truck down the street, and for Brooklyn, this was her favorite part of the week!

As soon as he would arrive in the street, he would start waving at Brooklyn, who would wave right back to him. She would shout out, excitedly, “Hi! Hi!” and Delvar would flash his lights in return. They would exchange honks and waves for a few weeks, but according to Traci, Brooklyn’s mom, all she wanted was to meet him in person. 

Traci decided she would take Brooklyn outside to see the truck drive by a bit better. This was a game-changer for the three-year-old, who was now obsessed with the man driving the truck, and not just the truck. Traci said in a post: “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.”

Read: Couple wears their original wedding attire for an adorable 60th anniversary photoshoot

Brooklyn Met Delvar on her Birthday

On Brooklyn’s third birthday she finally got to meet the man of her dreams. Traci and Brooklyn agreed they wanted nothing more than to give Delvar one of the cupcakes leftovers from the party. If he could not be at the celebration 9her birthday was on a Wednesday) then he could at least appreciate something sweet from the special day. The next Thursday, they waited outside with a note and a cupcake wrapped up nicely. 

Delvar garbage man and e Brooklyn Andracke age three
Facebook: cityblm

Traci reported that her daughter is usually very talkative, but meeting her hero left her “speechless.” Traci filmed the greeting and posted about it on social media. Later, they were on their way to day-care, and Traci asked if Brooklyn was okay – she was still unusually quiet. Brooklyn’s reply was: “Mommy, I’m so happy.”  Traci was so heart-warmed by her daughter’s appreciation for this kind stranger. She said: “As a mom, I can’t even describe how happy it made me that she got to finally meet him.”

Read: UPS Driver Gets Promoted After Leaving A Kind Message For A New Mom

Friendship Goes Viral

The next week, Delvar has a surprise for Brooklyn. He arrived at her house with a birthday present for her. It was a huge box of Frozen toys, and Brooklyn was over the moon! The story has been shared on social media and gone viral since it was posted, and many people have commented on how inspired they felt by their beautiful friendship. 

Shirley Burroughs said: “Made me cry, how sweet, nice to read stories like this, I was feeling kinda down until I read this story, that little girl is so sweet and precious, her mom is raising her right I like how they drove around till they found him, Mr. Delver keeps smiling you are attracting angels.” And commenter Evelyn Almodovar also responded: “Wow! !!! A great man, who loves his job, but, most of all, has the time to smile and honk his horn to a friend, and with that say: Pictures are worth a thousand word! God bless you Delvar”

Keep Reading: Girl, Age 8, Asked Marine Stepdad To Officially Adopt Her In Heartwarming Clip

Sources

  1. This 3-Year-Old Gave A Birthday Cupcake To Her Garbage Man And It’s Precious.Buzz Feed. Stephanie McNeal. April 21, 2016.