Boston janitor worked the same school for years. He burst into tears when his daughter walked in as a teacher
James Corrao took up a job as a janitor in Worcester Public Schools out of helplessness when he was a teenager.
Parents do anything and everything to give their children a good future. There are parents who have put aside their own dreams and taken whatever job they could get to sustain their families. A dad named James Corrao took up a job as a janitor in Worcester Public Schools out of helplessness when he was a teenager, reported TODAY on December 2. At the time, it was just a way to earn some money, but over the years, he realized there’s more to it than just cleaning. Eventually, when his 21-year-old daughter, Annabelle, made her way into the same school as a professional, he knew it was all worth it in the most wholesome way.
Sharing his heartbreaking story, the man revealed that he was a teenager when his dad overdosed and lost his life. The devastation came with many challenges, and Corrao spent his years running away from them. It wasn’t until his girlfriend revealed that she was pregnant with his daughter that he decided things had to change. “I knew if I didn’t stop then, I wasn’t going to make it. And I wanted to be someone my daughter could count on,” he remarked. That’s when he took up the janitor’s job. He saw it as nothing more than a menial role that would earn him sustenance for his child. But as he showed up day after day, he learned that his job called for much more.
As the janitor met the kids while cleaning, he realized he was doing this for a greater reason. He found identity as a respectable man within those school walls owing to the kids’ greetings and conversations. Showing up became more than just a reason to earn; it transformed into a sense of purpose. “I started to wear my job as a badge of honor. I was proud,” he recalled. As Annabelle grew, her dad found an opportunity to enroll her in the same school and was beyond delighted. “I used to write her notes and leave them on her desk every morning while I was sweeping,” he recounted. It was a sentimental tradition of his own.
Without knowing it, his daughter started adding more meaning to his job and his life. And she was proud to have him by his side. “He helped me chase my dreams,” Annabelle said. But Corrao never imagined that this same little girl would make him proud by walking in the corridors he swept, as a professional. Now a budding florist, Annabelle was invited for a week-long session with the students to render floral-arranging lessons. The dad shared a video of his daughter confidently taking the lead as she spoke with the students. Nothing prepares a parent for such a magical moment. And for Corrao, who worked hard for decades, seeing his daughter on that platform was like all the years of labor coming to fruition.
“It was surreal. Watching her in there with those kids... I was in awe. And I was also like, how did she get so much more mature than me?” he remarked. As for Annabelle, she couldn’t be more grateful and proud of the man who made it happen. “When I was teaching, I told the class, ‘You know the guy who picks up the trash? That’s my dad.' And they all started freaking out, screaming, ‘Mr. James!’ They adore him,” she revealed. It’s a bittersweet reality that holds power like no other. @principal_lamb commented, “This is so cool. I love that y’all work in the same school.” @uzairness added, “Watching your daughter having a successful occupation has got to be happy as hell, man.” @lizzie60 remarked, “I love this! How lucky you are to work alongside your adorable daughter!"
You can follow James Corrao (@jimmycashrules) on Instagram for more content on parenting and a wholesome lifestyle.
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