Students at James Madison High School in Virginia came together to give Francis Apraku, a beloved Ghanaian custodian at the school, the surprise of a lifetime by raising $22,000 to buy him his dream car—a 2015 Jeep Wrangler.
Francis, who has worked as a janitor at the school for years, was overwhelmed with emotion when the students revealed the surprise in early September. In an interview with CBS’s Steve Hartman, he described the moment with heartfelt joy.
“My leg started shaking. I can’t stand. I was panicking. I had to get myself to the floor and I was crying,” he recalled.
The initiative was sparked by members of the school’s football team, who had formed close friendships with Francis through casual conversations outside their weight room. These moments of connection inspired the students to show their appreciation.
“He is always a nice person,” one student shared. “If we were to have a bad day, he’d be the first guy to say, ‘Are you okay?’ And we said, let’s do something nice for him no one would do.”
Prior to launching the fundraiser, a student asked Francis what his heart’s desire would be if he could buy anything. Without hesitation, he expressed his dream of owning a Jeep Wrangler. Motivated by his humble wish, the students spent the next four months raising $22,000 to make it a reality.
The act of generosity left many social media users in awe.
“God bless these kids with more. Kudos to their parents, for raising these wonderful kids,” a user on Instagram wrote.