Some parents can't wait for their teenager to get out of the house, if for no other reason than to end any sibling rivalry. But in the Tingle household, brothers Max and Noah have proven themselves to have a very different kind of bond. These brothers captured the hearts of people around the world when their story made international news. Read on to see how this big brother's silly prank turned into memories that will be forever cherished.
The Close Brothers Will Soon Part
Seventeen-year-old Noah Tingle is very close with his little brother, twelve-year-old Max Tingle. In August, Noah started his senior year of high school. Since he knew this would be his last year before he leaves for college, he wanted to make it an extra special one for his little brother.
After realizing that he was home when Max got off his school bus, Noah decided to do something creative to get his little brother's attention.
His Wild Idea Was Embarrassing At First
Noah decided to dress up in a different costume every day, and then run out of the house in it while he greeted Max off the bus. Noah told a local news outlet, "It's my last year of high school and I saw he was coming off the bus when I was at home, so I wanted to embarrass him."
Max admitted that the trick worked -- he was embarrased at first. But now he says he's used to his big brother's silly game.
Then The Community Joined In
Right from the start, Noah would document each day in his new costume while he went out to get Max from the bus. He started the Facebook page "The Bus Brother," mainly to share the fun story with friends and family.
When Noah and Max's mom joined in on the fun, the popularity grew beyond what Noah had expected. His mother's posts inspired people to donate costumes and keep the charade going. Noah gratefully accepted.
Suddenly, Everyone Was Watching
The short videos quickly went viral. Noah only began posting himself pulling these costume pranks on his brother on August 24th. After just a couple weeks, The Bus Brother Facebook page had reached over 13,000 followers.
The story is now international. People all over the world love that Noah put effort towards his little brother. While it may have started as a way to tease Max, it became a heartfelt game between the brothers, as the videos show.
They Act Like Cubs
The videos don't just show smiley Max saying hello to his big, outlandishly dressed brother. They also show Noah tackling Max to the ground, or chasing him around the house. The brothers play like cubs, which makes the videos all the more endearing to watch.
Noah is sure to be gentle with Max, and Max is sure to put all of his efforts into darting around Noah. The playful roughhousing stands as a perfect example of what bonded brothers can look like.
A Bright Face To Come Home To
The rapid popularity of the videos makes sense, considering what these brothers represent. Noah is that joyful warmth we all look forward to when we get home. Little brother Max kind of represents the kid in all of us, independent but still in need of assurance.
Watching the brothers, you can tell that Max is more happy about Noah's odd tradition than he may be able to put into words. The kid can't keep a smile off his face.
The Brothers Fight With Affection
Like many boys, Noah and Max express their excitement to see one another by pushing and shoving. Noah will pull Max into a bear hug, or grab him behind the next minute and drag him down. Max will shove Noah off and dart around him.
All the while, it's clear these brothers play in jest. They're very close and obviously spend a lot of time together, evident in how comfortable they are with one another. After a bit of play-tackling, they often walk inside while hanging on to each other.
With Arms Wide Open
This photograph is currently the timeline photo on The Bus Brother Facebook page, and it says so much. The silly costumes seem to add to the "welcome home" vibe that Noah emits every time Max steps foot off the bus.
There's something extra special about feeling accepted by someone who isn't afraid to stand out. Joker Noah with outstretched arms seems to be saying, "No judgment, brother. Just love." Even in the blurred distance, you can tell that Max is smiling as always.
Can You Feel The Love?
Noah has told news reporters that he hopes the costumes will imprint many fond memories in his brother's mind when Noah leaves for college. It's pretty spectacular to see a teenager appreciate the power of love.
Max must feel like one special kid to have a brother who is so concerned with spending quality time with him. Many siblings take one another for granted. Then again, it's probably hard to take for granted such a cute kid.
The Show Goes On, Rain Or Shine
Being the end of summertime, it seems odd to have a downpour. But when the Tingle brothers' home in central Louisiana saw a rainy afternoon, it didn't stop Noah.
Fortunately, he was in a fluffy bodysuit to keep him warm as he ran through the rain to retrieve his little brother. The two bolted inside together, arms around one another and smiles from ear to ear. They must have had to take the tackling inside that day.
So Close, Yet So Far
Though the brothers are only five years apart, their current stages in life make them seem much further apart. Aside from Noah being physically more developed than Max, he also is nearly done with high school, something Max has yet to begin.
For some, these differences can make siblings feel like they live in different worlds. However, these brothers seem to have a good sense of how alike they really are. Once they're older, their age will no longer be a factor. By then the bonds they created in youth just might become even greater.
Possibly The Most Ridiculous Costume Yet
Noah definitely commits to his costumes. He dressed up like one of those inflatable tube guys they put in front of car dealerships. To really bring the outfit to life, Noah had to bend and wobble like the objects do in real life.
When Max got off the bus with a giggle, he joined his brother in on the flopping fun. Being able to make fun of yourself is a great lesson for Max to learn before he enters his teenage years.
He Shoots And He Scores
Small as Max may be, he's got a lot of energy. Here Max leaps to almost successfully knock off Noah's oversized sloth head. Max may have learned a thing or two about form from his older brother, who plans on returning to basketball when the season starts in November.
Many Facebook fans have commented about how great of a role model Noah is, or how special the memories they're making are. Max will have a lot to thank Noah for when he's older.
They Could Be Batman And Robin
Max, like many young kids, would probably rather be Batman than Robin. Then again, if being Robin meant being his big brother Noah's sidekick, who knows if Max would be all in. But Max seems to have a lot of fight in him.
Despite being much smaller than his older brother, he often looks committed to taking Noah down. Noah, meanwhile, stands back and smiles. One day Max just might outgrow Noah. We hope they'll reenact these pictures when that day comes.
They Have The Same Smile
The brothers don't just share a love for each other, they also share very similar-looking faces. Particularly from the side while they're smiling, it almost seems like an older boy is looking into his younger self.
Noah cares so much about leaving a positive impression on Max, but perhaps Max also brings Noah to a positive place by transporting him back to his younger years. Now in the face of college and adulthood, it must be nice to have a little brother to remind you of the simple things in life.
Please, No More Paparazzi
Noah numbers all of his costumes along with a funny or sweet caption. When he dressed like a bacon strip he wrote, "# 15 'What's shakin' bacon?'" By his twelfth costume, NBC was also shooting and his mother caught a shot of the cameramen in action. Meanwhile, Noah dressed like a minion had to play it cool while collecting Max from the bus as usual.
The boys seem most in their playful element when they aren't aiming to please the cameras.
The News Crews Have Arrived
NBC wasn't the only one to cover the story. Local news station WAFB also covered The Bus Brother, and now multiple news outlets, such as Fox and CBS, have joined in on the story.
Recently, The Bus Brother posted a request that anyone who saw the story in another country leave a comment regarding the station they saw it on. 150 comments later, it's apparent that the act of brotherly love has gone international, capturing the hearts of those around the world.
The Boys Sent Out A Thank You
The story has made Noah so popular that he's even been stopped by a couple of groups in Louisiana that wanted a photo with him. Despite the sudden fame, he's strived to keep his humility. Noah and younger brother Max even put out a video to thank everyone for their support.
Noah says in the video that it's been an unbelievable experience and very humbling. The brothers are excited to showcase the many costume donations they've received.
Until Basketball Season
When Noah began his costume prank, he had no idea how long it would go on for. He also had no idea that people all over the world would love and support him and his brother's heartwarming story.
Noah has told reporters that the afterschool shenanigans should continue until November, when basketball season prohibit the amount of free time Noah has. Perhaps Max will be the one to dress up and surprise his big brother after practices.
Like Big Brother, Like Little Brother
This photo of Max carrying Noah reveals that fight little Max has in him. Noah won't be the big one for much longer, but the memories he's created will only resonate with Max more as he gets older.
It will be exciting to see what these brothers end up doing later in life. With any luck, they'll team up and come back into the public eye. We can only imagine what kind of heartwarming ideas these two could concoct together.
