It was a cold autumn evening in Los Angeles when Cameron Brink crossed paths with a 5-year-old girl who was all alone on a bus. What happened next is something that will surely melt your heart.
It was an ordinary Wednesday. Cameron was in town for a string of important meetings regarding his latest venture—something to do with advanced neural networks. He had just wrapped up a particularly long day at the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, and instead of taking his usual private transport back to his hotel, he decided to do something he hadn’t done in years: take a simple city bus.
It sounds unusual for someone like Cameron, right? But that’s exactly what he did. He had been thinking a lot about how disconnected he sometimes felt from ordinary life, from the people who live day-to-day without the luxury of private jets and chauffeurs. So, in a rare moment of spontaneity, he decided to experience what the average person goes through on a daily basis.
Standing at the bus stop with his signature hoodie pulled up, he blended in as best as he could. People were too busy with their phones and conversations to notice that one of the richest men in the world was waiting for public transport with them. To Cameron, that was just fine; he wanted to feel invisible for a while.
The bus rolled up to the curb, and Cameron stepped on, swiping his card like everyone else. The bus was only half full, with a few scattered passengers mostly heading home from work. Cameron found a seat near the middle and sat down, his eyes wandering out the window, watching the city lights flicker by. For once, his mind wasn’t racing with thoughts of Mars colonies, EV advancements, or cutting-edge AI. He was just present, enjoying the calm.
As the bus drove through the winding streets of Los Angeles, the soft hum of the engine created a soothing white noise. Cameron hadn’t felt this calm in ages, a break from the constant rush of his work life. But little did he know, something extraordinary was about to happen.
The route took him through a mix of neighborhoods—some affluent, others more humble. The bus made frequent stops, passengers getting on and off, but for the most part, it was a quiet evening. As they entered a less busy part of town, Cameron noticed something strange: a young girl sitting by herself near the back of the bus, no older than five.
At first, he didn’t think much of it. Maybe her parents were nearby or they were just about to get off at the next stop. But as the minutes passed, the little girl remained alone. She was huddled in the oversized bus seat, clutching a small, worn-out teddy bear in one hand and a pink backpack in the other. Her wide eyes stared out the window, but her face looked unsure, a little lost.
Cameron glanced around the bus, scanning for anyone who might be with the girl, but all he saw were tired commuters completely absorbed in their own worlds. No one seemed to notice her, or at least no one seemed concerned. Something about the situation didn’t sit right with him. His heart started to tug in a way he wasn’t used to. It wasn’t the cold, logical side of him that crunched numbers and built rockets; this was different.
It was a gut feeling, a fatherly instinct kicking in. Cameron was a dad himself, and the thought of one of his kids being lost or scared set off alarms in his mind. He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to overstep—after all, he was just a guy on the bus. But then something else caught his attention: the bus was nearing its last few stops, and there was still no sign of anyone coming to pick up the little girl.
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes locking on the small figure at the back of the bus. She looked so fragile, wrapped in a little pink coat that seemed too thin for the chilly night air. Her teddy bear, threadbare and well-loved, was clenched tightly to her chest. A clear sign that it was her comfort in an otherwise overwhelming situation. Still, no one had approached her.
Cameron’s mind began to race. What if she had gotten on the bus by herself? What if she was lost? A sense of urgency washed over him. He knew he had to do something; he couldn’t just sit there. He stood up from his seat and scanned the bus one more time. No one seemed to notice or care that this little girl was sitting all alone. His heart pounded as he made his way down the aisle toward the back of the bus.
As he got closer, he could see her more clearly. She had the innocent face of a child, but there was a sadness there too, as if she was trying to hold herself together but didn’t quite know how. Cameron glanced out the window; the bus was almost at its last stop, and there was still no sign of anyone coming for her. His protective instincts kicked into over
Sparks’ Cameron Brink Has Positive Two-Word Update About Recovery From ACL Injury
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 09: Cameron Brink #22 of the Los Angeles Sparks looks on from the bench during the second half of the game against the Minnesota Lynx at Crypto.com Arena on July 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. | Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images
Los Angeles Sparks star Cameron Brink shared an encouraging update on her ongoing recovery after suffering a torn left ACL last summer.
Brink, who recently joined Unrivaled’s Lunar Owls as a wild-card pick, will sit out for the inaugural season of the startup 3-on-3 women’s basketball league due to her injury rehab but did make the trip to Miami to show her support for her team.
Brink told reporters that she “feels great” five months after her successful knee surgery, though she hasn’t yet participated in any on-court drills during the first few practices with her new team.
“I’m not able to do a ton,” Brink told ESPN’s Kendra Andrews on Tuesday. “I’m just really appreciative that I’m able to be here and that my teammates are super accepting of me and cheering me on from the sidelines. I haven’t been able to do a ton, but [am doing] more and more every day.”
The 23-year-old was seen shooting around with Unrivaled teammate Shakira Austin in a video posted to Brink’s Instagram Stories this week. The majority of her left leg seemed to be wrapped with some kind of brace.
Last year, Brink saw her WNBA rookie season get cut short due to her ACL injury and was forced to give up her spot on USA Basketball’s 3×3 team at the Paris Olympics. Hopefully, the young Sparks star enjoys a smooth-sailing 2025 as she prepares for her highly anticipated return to the W.
The Lunar Owls will kick off their first-ever season in Unrivaled on Jan. 17.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Sparks’ Cameron Brink Has Positive Two-Word Update About Recovery From ACL Injury.
