Boston Globe | By Abby Patkin | March 28, 2023

A Green Line train emerges from the subterranean belly of Kenmore Station, loaded with passengers as it chugs along the Boston College branch at evening rush hour.

Operator Wali Holly’s voice crackles over the intercom, giving the usual reminder to request above-ground stops. Then he adds in something a little extra: A list of anime recommendations.

“…Naruto, My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, Hunter x Hunter, Attack on Titan…”

Green Line T driver Wali Holly said he’s made it his goal to brighten his passengers’ day and put a smile on their faces. – Wali Holly/Courtesy Photo, via the MBTA
Often, Holly’s unusual announcements are met with laughter and cheers from unsuspecting passengers. Sometimes, riders will reach for their phones in disbelief, hoping to record the moment before it’s gone.

For the 42-year-old train driver, that’s what it’s all about: Making an otherwise dull commute a little brighter.

“If you’re on a train, you may have had a long day at work, school, class, whatever,” Holly told Boston.com in a recent interview. “So I said, ‘OK, if I could just make this ride, this trip that they’re on — whatever they’re going through — and somehow find a way that they can smile, just for that moment…”

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