James Madison High School Students in Virginia Raise $20,000 to Surprise Janitor with His Dream Car

Freshman students at James Madison High School, Virginia, gave their favorite custodian a memorable birthday gift he will always cherish!


Francis Apraku is originally from Ghana and moved to the United States ten years ago. He now works as the janitor and custodian of James Madison High School, Vienna, Virginia.

He is an integral part of the high school community, and students love and adore him due to his friendly nature and supportive behavior.

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james madison high school virginia
(Above) Screenshots of Francis Apraku from YouTube video (Below) The students with Apraku from their GoFundMe page

One student mentioned that Apraku was always super kind and friendly and even said prayers for them at times. Out of curiosity, some students enquired about his birth date and any related wishes that he had.

He casually told them that he would love to own a Jeep Wrangler one day, and although he knew he might never be able to afford one, it was his lifelong dream.

Seven high schoolers named Bennett, Nick H, Nick T, Artin, Joey, Yousif, and Logan, decided to make his dream a reality. With the help of some of their parents, they started a GoFundMe page to raise $25,000. In six months, more than $20,000 were raised and on Monday, they surprised Apraku with a 105-candy red Jeep Wrangler.

He was shocked at the sight of the car and was literally floored, crying tears of joy as he repeatedly said, “Oh my God, oh my God.” Overcome with emotion, he found it hard to control himself but said, “I can’t believe this is happening in my life. I give thanks to almighty God for making this day for me.”

Watch the heartwarming video of Apraku receiving the ‘gift’ from the students below –

Apraku, who moved away from his friends and family a few years ago, has found a new family with the students of James Madison High School. As the students said, “He’s more than a custodian; he’s a friend to us.”

Kindness always wins hearts and pays back in unexpected ways. With his warm and affectionate nature, Apraku won the hearts of the students, who showed their appreciation by buying him his favorite car.

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Ryan Turner
Ryan Turner

Hello! I’m Ryan Turner, a writer and contributor for the PositivePress.News team. With a Master’s degree in English, I am dedicated to spreading positivity and insightful stories that resonate with our audience.