Texas teens raise over $160,000 for elderly janitor forced to unretire over rent increase

A Texas janitor who “unretired” over financial troubles will be given over $160,000 after high school students raised money for him on GoFundMe.

Mr. James, whose first name is not public, started working at Callisburg High School in North Texas in January.

James was originally retired, but when his rent was reportedly raised by roughly $400, the 80-year-old couldn’t make ends meet and got back to work.

Three students began a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe after hearing the janitor’s story. They titled the fundraiser “Getting Mr. James out of this school”.

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“Hey guys I’m having a fundraiser for our janitor who is struggling to pay his rent,” the fundraiser says. “He had to leave retirement to continue to pay his rent that was raised. Just a little will change his life!!”

While the initial goal was $10,000, donations poured in and reached the $160,000 mark in a week.

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“Nobody deserves to work their whole life,” student Greyson Thurman told FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth. “They deserve to enjoy everything.”

Students said that he was pleasantly surprised when he heard the good news.

“When we told him, he was kind of like, ‘Dang, that’s alright!'” student Marti Yousko recalled.

 

“He doesn’t want any part of the spotlight,” principal Jason Hooper said. “He’s very appreciative of what these students have done.”

Mr. James is reportedly still working for Callisburg Independent School District and has not handed in his resignation as of Wednesday.