Every weekday, like clockwork, two-year old Adalyn Wall and one of her parents walk her older sister to and from kindergarten. They take the same route along Helmcken every day, and because Adalyn loves trucks and buses, she makes sure to wave at every driver they see passing by.
“One specific BC Transit driver would always wave back, and it got my daughter super excited,” said Tania Wall. “We realized that it was always the same driver, who drives that same number 14 bus every day. Her and my daughter would wave frantically at each other, she would honk her horn, and it always made Adalyn’s day.”
That driver is Debbie Simpson, who has been driving for BC Transit for 12 years. As much of a smile as these encounters put on Adalyn’s face, they provided the same emotional lift for Debbie.
“I always honk at kids if they wave or they’re excited about seeing a bus, and she’s on my first trip out, as I start at UVic and head to the hospital,” said Debbie Simpson. “She just waves like crazy and I honk at her. She almost jumps out of her seat! She quite likes buses, that’s for sure. Maybe she’ll be a future driver.”
On the afternoon of May 5th, Debbie decided to go beyond just a wave and a honk. When she pulled over at a stop the family was walking past, she opened the doors and presented Adalyn’s mom with a gift bag full of fun bus stuff, including a colouring sheet, stickers, temporary tattoos and small foam double decker bus.
Little Adalyn now takes that bus with her every time they walk to the school. The Walls told the other families at pick-up about it, and now when that route 14 bus goes past, everyone refers to it as “Addie’s bus”, cheering wildly when they get a honk and wave from Debbie.
“It’s been a hard year for everyone, with isolation, social distancing and stress,” said Tania Wall. “And to have that moment of just pure, honest, innocent connection that was instigated by this bus driver…it was beautiful. We think about it all the time and I tell this story to everyone because it’s just so happy.”
As you’d expect, Debbie confirmed that the feeling is definitely mutual, and that those smiles and waves brighten her spirits every time she drives by.
“Kids are great because they’re so easy to please. Adalyn’s mom told me that she looks forward to seeing me every day, and I told her that it just worked out that we found each other. She gives me a bit of a lift too.”
