Tylan Bailey was a beloved figure in DeKalb County, GA schools — and now, his success story has become just as inspirational.
WSB-TV recently sat down with the Georgia janitor, who said that despite what some may consider a “lowly” profession, he enjoyed every minute of it.
“I love being here. Every day I come here. I rarely miss a day,” Bailey said to the outlet.
Eventually, he worked his way up to becoming the head janitor — meaning that if anything broke, or went wrong, in the school, he was going to be there to fix it.
And Bailey held that position for more than 20 years.
Then, in 2017, he decided to go back to college to get his degree. This meant that he would be up and at work by 5:30 in the morning, then work a full day, and close up shop late afternoon.
In between those hours — and yes, even after school — he’d be taking classes at Georgia State University.
“A lot of people around the building always ask me, when do I sleep?” Bailey said, according to WSB-TV.
He continued this life until very recently when he finally graduated from Georgia State University with his teaching degree.
Ultimately, Bailey said he wants to be a phys-ed teacher, and he’s currently going on interviews to fulfill his dream. That means that, unfortunately, he won’t be one of DeKalb’s beloved janitors anymore.
But the kids will get to see him again, soon, when he gives the commencement speech at Hightower’s fifth-grade graduation ceremony.
And he said that ultimately, it was important to him to follow his dream.
“Just walking through these halls every day, you’re surrounded by education. Each corner of this building, education. So why not be a part of that,” Bailey said.
We’re glad to witness Bailey’s dreams come true.
