James Madison High School custodian Francis was stunned by the students’ unexpected generosity. To thank Francis for everything he does, a group of students presented him with his dream car.
He told WUSA9, “Today is a wonderful day in my life and I will never forget it.”
It all started in September 2023, when the custodian mentioned to some first-year students during a casual conversation that it was getting close to his birthday.
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When they asked Francis what he wanted, he told the students that he “desired to get a Jeep Wrangler” for his birthday and that owning his dream Jeep Wrangler was his ultimate life goal.
The students decided to try and buy Francis a Jeep six months ago, and they set out to raise the necessary funds to buy him the vehicle of his dreams.
They created a GoFundMe page with their friends and some of their parents, who then began reposting it and sending it to various organizations and family members.
One student told the outlet, “One thing got to another and in the next two days, we had $5,000.”
Once they raised $20,000 after months of fundraising, they cashed it out, teamed up with a nearby dealership, and bought Francis a cherry-red Jeep Wrangler in time for the fall.
On Tuesday, the big day, the students met in the Vienna Inn’s parking lot to surprise Francis with his new vehicle.
The custodian was overjoyed and grateful.
He said of the students, “These guys, I have been working with them for almost two years now and whenever I go to their area, especially because of the soccer, I work over there at the local room. If I get there, the way these guys meet me, the way they talk to me, the way they come close to me—even if I’m sad, they make my day, and I become happy.”
He remarked, “What I’m always saying, is like whoever you meet in this world you need to respect. No matter what the person is, whether old, whether young, whoever, you have to give the due respect.”
