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School bus driver braids hair every morning for student who lost her mother

Tracy Dean, 47, a driver at Alpine School District in Utah, styles the hair of Isabella Pieri, 11, each day.
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Tracy Dean
Bus driver braids hair every morning for student who lost her mother
Tracy Dean
ByNicole Pelletiere
April 07, 2018, 12:14 am

A kind bus driver in Utah has been styling the hair of an 11-year-old student whose mother died two years ago.

Tracy Dean, 47, who has been driving a bus for Alpine School District for 10 years, recently began braiding the hair of a young student on her morning route, Isabella Pieri.

"I can tell she was struggling with her hair," Dean told ABC News. "We usually do two French braids first and once in a while she just wants one braid. I also taught her how to brush her hair.

Tracy Dean has been driving the bus at Alpine School District in Utah for 10 years.
Tracy Dean

"She'd get on the bus and she'd say, 'I brushed my hair. Does it look good?'" Dean said. "I'll say, 'You did awesome.'"

Isabella's mom, Patricia Pieri, died two years ago from a rare brain illness, the girl's father, Philip Pieri, told ABC News.

Seen in this undated photo, Philip Pieri, 47, of American Fork, Utah, sits with his daughter, Isabella Pieri, 11.
Philip Pieri

Philip Pieri, 47, said he works grueling hours at a convenience store near his home in American Fork, Utah. When his wife died, he would "attempt" to fix his daughter's hair, he said.

"She'd get mad at me for pulling her hair," Pieri said. "I didn't know how to do it. One day [Isabella] came home and it looked beautiful. I call her my princess and she looks the part, she plays the part and her confidence is way up, which is what I've been intending."

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Tracy Dean has been driving the bus at Alpine School District in Utah for 10 years.
Tracy Dean
Isabella Pieri, 11, was having trouble styling her own hair until her bus driver, Tracy Dean, 47, lended a hand.
Philip Pieri

Dean, who has four children including an 11-year-old of her own, said it's "no big deal" that she braids Isabella's hair each morning.

"It's just the way my mom raised me, to be nice to everyone -- people who need a little love in their life," Dean said. "I like to give all of the kids a chance -- even the naughty kids."

Tracy Dean, who has four children including an 11-year-old of her own, said it's "no big deal" braiding Isabella Pieri's hair each morning.
Tracy Dean
Tracy Dean, 47, who has been driving the bus at Alpine School District in Utah for 10 years now, braids 11-year-old Isabella Pieri's hair each day before school.
Tracy Dean

Pieri said he's extremely grateful to Dean for showing kindness to his little girl.

"She's such a nice woman," he said.

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