Children made fun of a poorly dressed girl they’d ride the school bus with, teasing her that she stunk. They were surprised to see her on TV one day, which changed how they saw her entirely.
Nikki was not like everybody else in the first grade. She was a lot shorter than her classmates and was frail and fragile.
Everybody in her class knew that Nikki only had her mother living with her and that they lived a poor life. Unfortunately, one day, things went from bad to worse.
Nikki would take the bus home every day as her mother worked two jobs to raise her. The bus driver, Mrs. Evans, was already used to Nikki riding the bus by herself and would expect her every day.
Nikki would walk to the bus stop alone every day, and no one knew why. | Source: Pexels
One day, Mrs. Evans noticed that Nikki looked very sad as she waited for the bus. She was dressed in old clothes filled with holes, runs, and stains.
“Good morning, Nikki!” Mrs. Evans greeted. “Are you alright?”
Nikki looked up at Mrs. Evans and smiled. “Good morning, Mrs. Evans. Yes, I’m fine,” she said, getting on the bus. She was glad that someone spoke to her, as she was used to everybody else ignoring her.
As she boarded the bus, there were already several children inside. One girl, Martha Reeves, was a spoiled rich girl from the second grade. She spotted Nikki immediately and laughed at her clothes.
“Oh my gosh!” the young girl exclaimed. “Look at that scarecrow!” she said, pointing at Nikki.
Nikki was embarrassed that the girls in the school bus decided to make fun of her. | Source: Pexels
Nikki looked down, ashamed at the sudden attention being placed on her. She quietly sat on her seat on the last row of the bus and cried.
“Where did you find these clothes? In the garbage?” Martha asked, going closer to Nikki’s seat to tease her. As she got closer, she suddenly pinched her nose.
“Ew! You stink like a garbage bag!” she told Nikki. Martha’s friends chimed in, pinching their noses as well.
“Do you bathe or even brush your teeth?” one said, laughing.
“You can’t be serious. You can’t go to school looking and smelling like this,” Martha said, pulling Nikki from her seat. “Come on, go home! Get out of the bus and return to your filthy home,” she said, tugging at her arm.
Kids would make fun of Nikki for how she looked every day. | Source: Pexels
Nikki was in pain, but she didn’t say anything. Instead, she quietly sobbed as the girls picked on her and tried to kick her off the school bus.
Then, suddenly, the girls jumped at a scream. “That’s enough! Stop torturing this poor girl,” she said.
Mrs. Evans heard everything and decided to stop the bus to stand up for Nikki. She walked towards the back as soon as she yelled and asked Nikki to sit in front, right behind the driver’s seat.
After they were dropped off at school, Mrs. Evans could not stop thinking about the incident on the bus. She decided to find out why Nikki would show up to school in dirty-looking clothes.
So, after work, she dropped by Nikki’s house. She learned the whole truth and was surprised at what she saw there. Mrs. Evans’ daughter worked in a media company. She called her daughter and immediately told her Nikki’s story.
Nikki would sit quietly at school everyday because she didn’t want to draw attention to herself. | Source: Pexels
The following week, Nikki showed up at the bus stop in ragged clothes. Martha and her friends covered their noses and whispered amongst themselves. Mrs. Evans shook her head, but she was glad that the girls no longer said anything mean to Nikki’s face.
A couple of days later, there was a meeting at school for teachers, children, and their parents. Nikki and her mother did not show up. Mrs. Evans walked into the classroom and turned on the TV in the middle of the meeting.
One of the most-watched TV channels was airing a story about Nikki. It was shot by Mrs. Evans’ daughter and picked up by the station.
A famous TV station decided to cover Nikki’s story to inspire others. | Source: Pexels
When Mrs. Evans learned about Nikki’s story, she realized that the whole country could learn a thing or two about how she lived. Despite being a small and frail girl, she had a powerful character that inspired the bus driver.
Nikki grew up without a father and had learned the value of independence. Nikki’s mother fell ill, and insurance decided not to cover the treatment. So, as Nikki’s mom was bedridden, she could no longer take Nikki to school, cook her meals, or clean the house.
Nikki took on the responsibilities of taking care of herself and her mother while her mom was sick. She cleaned the house, took out the garbage, cooked food for her and her mom, washed her own clothes, and fed her mom medicine.
After watching the show, Martha and Nikki’s other classmates realized why Nikki’s clothes were always tattered and dirty – she had been taking on responsibilities even before going to school.
The TV news glorified the small yet brave and strong Nikki. Mrs. Evans revealed the real reason why she decided to turn on the TV, addressing the parents in the room.
Mrs. Evans attended the parent-teacher conference to share Nikki’s story. | Source: Pexels
“Your children mock Nikki on the bus every day. Kids, I hope the show taught you how important it is to be kind to everyone we meet every day. Everybody is fighting a battle not everyone knows about, and it’s best to be kind no matter the situation,” she told them.
Since that day, nobody mocked Nikki ever again. The kids would always say hi first and treat her with kindness by offering her snacks and drinks on the way to school.
Martha and her friends also gifted Nikki with some of their dresses so that she could wear clean clothes to school every day. Their parents also pooled money so Nikki’s mom could undergo surgery.
Soon after, the woman was able to return home from the hospital and begin working again. As they got home, they were surprised to see the director of the TV station waiting for them with a check.
“These are donations from the TV viewers moved by your story. We hope you use this to secure Nikki’s future and better your living situation,” the director said as she handed the check.
With the money, Nikki and her mom could secure her college tuition. They were also able to buy themselves a small new house and live comfortably.
What can we learn from this story?
- A Scottish proverb once said: “do not judge by appearances; a rich heart may be under a poor coat.” The children were quick to judge Nikki for how she looked, without realizing that she had been struggling to take care of herself while her mother was sick. It’s important not to judge others quickly, as we never know what they’re going through.
Share this story with your loved ones. It might inspire them and make their day.
If you liked this story, you might like this one about a school bus driver who found out one of the students riding his bus did not get off at the last stop for the reason that taught him a valuable lesson.
This account is inspired by our reader’s story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.
Struggling Widowed Dad Acquires an Aged Stroller from a Flea Market, Detects a Crackling Noise When He Settles His Baby in It
A widowed father buys his newborn baby girl a second-hand stroller at the flea market and hears a strange crackling sound when he puts the baby in it. He inspects it and makes a heartbreaking discovery that changes their lives.
“This was our favorite spot by the window…All those sunsets when we kissed here! The way you used to blush when I whispered things, tucking your hair strands behind your ears,” Tyler, 30, cried near his bedroom window. Warm tears dropped on his late wife Kylie’s framed photo, haunting him with memories as he stared at the evening sky.
Tyler and Kylie led a happy marriage, and the next big thing happened in their lives when she fell pregnant. Tyler, a cashier in a grocery store, started dreaming of raising a beautiful family. Everything seemed like a beautiful portrait until a storm arrived and dropped a bomb in their nest the day Kylie went into labor…
Tyler could not hold back his tears as he recalled hearing their newborn baby girl Tiara’s loud cries from the maternity ward.–Advertisment–
“And then, they gave me my newborn baby to hold… How warm and soft her skin felt… When I asked about you, they showed you cloaked up to your forehead. Patting my shoulders, they said, ‘We’re sorry. We couldn’t save her.’ Why did you leave us, Kylie??”
Kylie had developed last-minute complications during labor and had died during childbirth, leaving Tyler with a mountainous responsibility on his shoulder.
Do not stop when a dark, difficult path arrives. Take one step at a time and keep going.
The sun disappeared behind the trees as an eerie darkness filled Tyler’s heart. He was lost in deep thought when suddenly, his six-month-old baby girl started crying.
“I’m coming… I’m coming, honey!” Tyler ran to fetch some warm milk. He had nobody to babysit Tiara, so he quit his job to tend to her day and night.
“Awwww…lo-lo-lo…” he fed his baby. Tiara wouldn’t sleep without Tyler cradling her in his arms. Sometimes, she would take over an hour to fall asleep, and Tyler had sore arms carrying her around for a long time.
“Where did I keep it?” Tyler began searching for a metal box where he saved money for petty expenses. Baby Tiara was asleep, so he was cautious not to wake her because once she was up, it would only mean Tyler would have another sleepless night.
“Ah, here it is!!” he exclaimed and opened the box, quickly counting the money. Tyler wanted to buy a stroller. “My arms will ache less and baby Tiara will be happy too!!”
The next day, Tyler went to the flea market in town to buy the baby buggy. Tiara was asleep in his arms, as Tyler walked up and down, cradling her to sleep.
He marched toward the store selling baby essentials and saw a woman with a stroller.
“Hey, miss…hey…hey…I love this stroller. I need one like this for my baby.”
Tyler saw a strange glow light up the woman’s eyes which appeared red, painful, and swollen. It looked as though she had spent several sleepless nights crying. Amanda looked at Tyler’s baby as tears rose in her eyes. She sighed heavily and said, “You can take this. I’ll give it to you for $10!!”
“Only for $10??!” Tyler exclaimed.
“Yes, I changed my mind after seeing your baby. You need this stroller more than I do now. You can take it!”
Tyler was surprised by the generous offer and quickly paid for the stroller. The woman took the money and immediately left, vanishing into the crowd and leaving Tyler puzzled but happy with the bargain.
“Ah, finally, sweetie, dad got you a new buggy. We will go home, clean it, and then you can rest in it, alright?!”
Tyler took the stroller home, unprepared for the discovery he was about to make.
He slightly dusted the stroller that looked too decent for its price. It was used but not worn out. He decided to take Tiara for a walk in her stroller and gently put her in, only to hear a strange crackling noise from under the padded seat. It sounded like a packet of chips getting crushed.
“What is that noise??” Tyler immediately withdrew his baby from the buggy and put her on the couch. He slightly lifted the padding and found a piece of folded paper.
“What is this?” he wondered as he unfolded it and saw a handwritten note addressed to a certain ‘Gigi.’
“To my beloved baby girl, Gigi. Darling, I miss you each minute, each second. Without you, my world has turned into a dark grave…” began the first line.
Tyler was stunned as he sat back near a fast-asleep Tiara and continued reading…
“Sweetie, please forgive mama. I know you’re with your daddy in heaven now. Please know that I will always love you. Please forgive me. I am forced to sell your stroller. Mama has nowhere to go, sweetheart. I love you and miss you, my baby. Love, Mama.”
Tyler’s heart almost skipped a beat when he realized this was a mother’s heartfelt confession to her dead child.
“What happened to her daughter? Who is this woman? Where is she now?” he wondered and set on a mission to find the bereaved mother, unaware of how fate would tie her to his life.
Tyler revisited the flea market the next day and returned to the store where he bought the stroller and inquired about the woman. Luckily, the CCTV footage in the store helped him track her down.
“Yeah, that’s her!” Tyler pointed to the screen.
“She came here to sell an old vintage clock. She told me it belonged to her late mother.”
“Do you know her house??”
“She told me her house is the last across the street.”
“Thanks, pal!!” Tyler said, hurrying to the woman’s house. There he saw the woman packing her things in a cloth bundle and an old suitcase.
“If you can’t pay your rent, you can’t stay here for free!” an older man yelled at her.
“Hey, miss, hey…you remember me? I bought a stroller from you yesterday, remember??” Tyler chimed in. “May I know your name?”
Moments of silence prevailed, and then she said, “My name is Amanda.”
“Amanda, hey, nice to meet you. I found your letter in the stroller,” Tyler added, and Amanda started to cry.
As it turned out, the baby buggy Amanda sold to Tyler was her only reminder of her dead child, who had lost her battle with cancer. Amanda was forced to sell it with the other old items in order to pay for her overdue rent.
“My daughter Gigi was five years old… She was too young and innocent… She didn’t know what cancer was. She was my only hope to live after I lost my husband,” Amanda cried.
The landlord kicked Amanda out because he wanted to lease the house for a higher price. Though Amanda got social security benefits, the money was drained, settling her late husband’s debts.
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, Amanda. Listen, I have an idea. Why don’t you come and stay at my house until you find a better place to stay?”
Tyler sympathized with Amanda and invited her to live in his house if she wanted. Though hesitant at first, Amanda could not resist the pleasure of spending time with Tyler’s baby girl.
Amanda moved into Tyler’s house and tended to his baby while he returned to work. She cared for little Tiara like a mother, and even the baby loved being around her.
As time flew by, Tyler moved on from his sorrow. He realized that his daughter needed the love and care of both parents and popped the question to Amanda one day. They had fallen in love by then.
Tyler and Amanda married shortly after. They understood that besides needing each other’s support, they could heal each other’s wounds this way.
What can we learn from this story?
When two broken hearts collide, they heal each other’s wounds. Tyler and Amanda were grieving strangers who needed true support to release them from their sorrows. Fate drew parallels between them, and they helped each other overcome their grief.
Do not stop when a dark, difficult path arrives. Take one step at a time and keep going. After losing his wife, Tyler quit his job to tend to his newborn baby. He was devastated but kept going for his baby’s sake.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
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