Custodian Worked Graveyard Shift for 23 Years so His 5 Kids Could go to College Tuition-Free

By Chris Agee
Published November 17, 2017 at 3:42pm
Modified March 15, 2018 at 2:40pm

A Massachusetts man had dedicated nearly a quarter-century of his life to working a dirty job with undesirable hours, but he says the payoff for his family has made the commitment worthwhile.

“I came from a poor family and kind of a broken home and I was kind of on my own,” Fred Vautour explained. “I did my best to be a father and a family man.”

AOL featured Vautour for a segment of its show “Lifers,” in which he recalled his motivation in accepting a graveyard shift janitorial position at Boston College in 1994.

At that point in his life, he said he was not interested in prestige or even a big paycheck, but instead wanted “to finally have a job that had benefits.”

As the Boston Globe reported last year, the most notable of those benefits is the college’s offer to provide free tuition for the children of its staff.

“All five of my kids were accepted here in the day school and they all graduated with bachelor’s degrees,” Vautour said.

That alone saved his family an estimated $700,000 in tuition, he noted.

His children expressed appreciation for their father’s sacrifice and the lessons he has taught them through his work ethic.

“The biggest thing I just learned from him was dedication,” said his daughter, Alicia.

His son, Michael, pointed out that in 23 years on the job, his father has “only missed like three and a half days.”

Amy, Vautour’s eldest child, went on to receive a master’s degree in higher education, setting the stage for her younger siblings.

“We’re first-generation college students so we’re different than other legacy families,” she said.

In the interview, Vautour’s pride in his kids is clear as he shows off their acceptance letters, framed and hanging on the wall in his home.

“When the fifth one graduated, it was sad just to see it was done,” he recalled. “Now I’m working there with nobody going there.”

Now, Vautour said he is considering the legacy he will leave beyond his five children.

“I want to be remembered as the grandkids knowing that their grandfather did a lot for my own,” he said. “And my kids are learning from that and they seem to be doing well with their kids, too, so it’s a trickle-down effect.”

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