High school students raise $260,000 for elderly janitor so he can retire
A fundraiser for a high school cleaner has surpassed $280,000 after being started by three students.
It's a TikTok trend which just keeps on giving. After seeing their school's elderly janitor, Mr James, forced out of retirement and back to work amid the rising pressures of the cost of living crisis and his rent having been 'raised', three students at Callisburg High School in Texas decided to start a GoFundMe page.
As a result of uploading a video of the 80-year-old to TikTok and launching the fundraiser, the trio have raised a whopping total of $270,905 (£227,000). Get your tissues out and at the ready:
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A video of Mr James was uploaded by one of the students to TikTok, showing the janitor in the school's hallway armed with his cleaning trolley.
The caption reads: "Go fund me is in the bio! My classmates and I hate seeing Mr. James here, no one his age should have to be cleaning our messes up to continue to live."
The fundraiser began last week on 15 February, with all donations noted as going to Mr James to help with 'Rent, food and monthly bills'.
Well, just over a week later on Friday (24 February), the fundraiser was closed and the students updated followers of Mr James' story, saying: "Thank you everyone who donated and helped Mr. James enjoy his retirement, he asked for us to take down the GoFundMe today.
"He is VERY appreciative of everyone willing to give up their time to help him out and change his life.
"You all have shown what can happen when everyone gets together to help others!!! I think God did this to show that no matter how much evil there is good will always show it’s self!
"Mr. James thanks you all!! God bless yall!"
The students have since received an outpouring of praise for their support of Mr James. Contributors to the GoFundMe page have also wished the janitor the best of luck too.
One donor said: "So proud of these young people seeing a need and DOING something about it! Your parents and teachers should be so proud of you!"
"Enjoy your retirement Mr. James. It's well deserved. Thank you for serving the kids and community," another wrote.
A third added: "As a retired science teacher, I just want to tell Greyson and the other students involved that I would have been proud to have had you in my classes. Well done! And keep up being kind to others. We need more of that today."
A final resolved: "I was just reading the news and was not feeling very good about the state of the world, and then I read an article about this fundraiser. Thank you."
Jason Hooper - the principal of Callisburg High School - told KXII enough money has been raised for Mr James to retire for good and 'live the comfortable life'.
Hooper resolved: "It's just amazing. You know of the need that was met because of three kind kids, but of all of our students who have pitched in to help that need."
Poppy Bilderbeck