Janitor was told to clean up a student 'accident' mess at the gym — when he walked in, he broke down
Custodians and other school staff members play a significant role in making the school a better place for children and teachers. To appreciate their efforts, it becomes necessary to show our gratitude towards them. One elementary school planned such a surprise for their janitor, Mr. Eugene Hinton, on National Custodian Appreciation Day. He was called into the gymnasium, saying one of the kids had an accident, but what he saw left him in tears, according to a video shared by Pod-ful of Sunshine.
The kids at Moody Elementary School quietly sat inside the gymnasium, waiting for Hinton to enter. "I am so sorry, a student had an accident. Can you help us clean it up?" one of the teachers asked him. He started walking towards the gymnasium as the teacher explained where he needed to clean. "Is it really bad?" Hinton asked, and the teacher expressed it was just a "little accident." The moment Hinton entered the room with his cleaning supplies, all the children wished him a "Happy Custodian Day" and thanked him for his work. He was tearful and hid his face with his hands as the kids screamed. "We appreciate everything you do every day," the text overlay of the video read.
Hinton waved at the kids and thanked them for the surprise. He went into the crowd of kids and gave high-fives to everyone. "They love him!" The students also gave him handmade gifts, according to News 19. Hinton had been a custodian for the school for 2 years at that time and kept the place clean for more than 900 students. The school secretary, Paige Mitchell, pointed out that everyone at the school loved him. So, when the school counselor realized it was National Custodian Day, they sent out an email, and all the teachers were ready to do something special for him.
"He has a special way of connecting with students. He has a wonderful attitude and always makes people happy. We're very thankful to have him," Mitchell remarked. Hinton had a challenging journey before becoming the custodian at Moody Elementary School and was really thankful for all the appreciation, per People of Alabama. "One of the lowest points in my life was when I was homeless. I didn't have anywhere to go. I was sleeping in my truck. I was homeless for about a year before I really got back on my feet. I felt down and out at my worst." It was a challenging time for Hinton as he didn't know when he would be able to take a bath or where his next meal would come from. Eventually, he approached a long-time friend, Johny Williams, who had his own custodial company.
"Once he saw my clothes in the back of my truck, he started crying himself. He hired me right on the spot." It gave him hope that someone cared about him, and he kept a positive attitude throughout the ordeal. "I'm not homeless now, but I could do better. We've got food in the refrigerator, I've got a roof over my head, so yeah, I think I have been blessed." Hinton recalled the feeling of surprise as "indescribable." He had a big smile as he watched the video on Facebook. He called "love" his superpower. "I try to keep a positive attitude, knowing that I have kids. Getting back on my feet, overcoming that situation in my life. If I can do it, anybody else can."