Teachers Come To Greet School Janitor on 75th Birthday, ‘You’re the Only Family I Have’ He Says – Story of the Day

Turning 75 was a massive milestone in the life of one man, but he had no family to celebrate his happiness with. He was also planning to quit work, unaware of how his life would soon take a different turn.

David was one of the friendliest janitors at school. Besides keeping the school clean, he was always ready to help teachers carry piles of books from the library to the classroom. Anyone who needed help in school knew they could count on David.

The elderly man would wake up every day and get ready for work. He was the janitor in the same school for the past 25 years and considered his job a significant part of his life.

Decades ago, his wife had suddenly passed away soon after their marriage, and since then, David had been living alone. He had no children or family to look after, so going to school was something he looked forward to every day.

“Why don’t you quit work and stay at home, David?” teachers would ask him. “You deserve to rest and enjoy your post-retirement days.”

The thought of quitting work would make David anxious. What would I do sitting alone at home? He wondered. He never wanted to think about retirement, but deep down, he knew he would have to quit work someday.

After returning home from work, David often skimmed through cooking magazines a few kind teachers gave him because they knew about his passion for baking. He would bring freshly baked cookies and bread to school every week and serve them to the teachers during recess.

“Wow! These cookies are so delicious, David!” Samantha, the English teacher, told him. She was one of the few teachers who enjoyed David’s company and praised his kind efforts. Meanwhile, other teachers weren’t fond of him and wished he would quit work soon.

One day, while David was at school, he began thinking about his life. Should I quit my job? He wondered. Unlike other people, David’s motivation to work wasn’t money. It was the teachers who appreciated his hard work and enjoyed his company.

However, he felt he was losing his strength as he turned old. I will turn 75 in a week. I think I should stay at home now, he thought.

During recess that day, he told Samantha what he had been thinking recently. “I am planning to quit work, Ms. Samantha. I think there must be someone else who might need this job to make ends meet, and I’m already an old man!”

“Oh, David! We will miss you so much if that happens,” Samantha cried. “We don’t want you to leave!”

David smiled at Samantha and the other teachers and told them that he had to quit soon. “You know I don’t have a wife to look after or kids to raise, so money isn’t what has kept me going all these years,” he said. “Your love and appreciation have encouraged me to work hard.”