The Teacher Who Did Her Grieving Student's Hair Every Morning
Published · Researched 2026-09-22
What happened (dated facts)
Elementary school teacher Alice Yates (@missaliceinteacherland) posted a video to Instagram in early 2025 about a student whose parent had died suddenly a few months earlier. Noticing the girl was coming to school with her hair unbrushed most days, Yates bought a cheap comb and hair ties and began doing a basic ponytail for her every morning at breakfast. The other girls in class noticed and asked for their hair done too — so Yates turned it into a daily ritual: chitchats over hair during breakfast. "I wouldn't trade this time for anything. It has helped us all become so much closer." A parent later messaged Yates her thanks after seeing her daughter's hair on FaceTime. The story was covered by Upworthy (2026-05-25 article) and circulated on Instagram (2026-05).
Why it is genuinely positive
A teacher noticed a grieving child showing up with unbrushed hair and quietly filled the gap — no fanfare, just a comb and a few minutes every morning. The ritual brought the whole class closer. Tender, human kindness.
Social pulse
The original video posted on @missaliceinteacherland's Instagram went viral (early 2025); @goodnews_movement circulated it on Instagram (2026-05); Upworthy wrote it up (2026-05-25).
Verified quotes
- Alice Yates, via her Instagram caption (quoted by Upworthy, 2025): "A few months ago one of my student's parent died pretty suddenly...she was coming to school with her hair not even brushed most days. I just wanted to help where I could. So I bought a cheap comb and hair ties so that I could at least do a basic pony for her to get her hair out of her face."
- Alice Yates, via her Instagram caption (quoted by Upworthy, 2025): "Then the other girls in the class started asking if I'd do their hair too. Now during breakfast, we have chitchats while we do hair! I wouldn't trade this time for anything. It has helped us all become so much closer."
Verification
- Tier: 2
- Primary source: Alice Yates's own Instagram video (@missaliceinteacherland, early 2025); Upworthy, "Teacher starts doing her student's hair everyday after her parent died to take care of her" (2026-05-25) — https://www.upworthy.com/tag/losing-a-parent
- Social sources: Instagram @missaliceinteacherland (original video, early 2025); Instagram @goodnews_movement (2026-05).
- Positivity check: passed — a teacher caring for a grieving child; joyful.
Key facts
| Fact | Value | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher | Alice Yates, elementary school teacher, @missaliceinteacherland | Upworthy | 2025 |
| Student | Girl whose parent died suddenly "a few months" before the video | Upworthy | 2025 |
| Act | Bought comb and hair ties; did her hair every morning at breakfast; class joined in | Upworthy | 2025 |
| Parent response | Thankful message after seeing her daughter's hair on FaceTime | Upworthy | 2025 |
UNVERIFIED points
- The school's location and the students' names were not published (protecting a child's privacy).
- Exact posting date of the original video; Upworthy article dated 2026-05-25.