JACKSONVILLE, Texas — The Jacksonville community is rallying behind a Nichols Intermediate janitor who has been working for the school since its doors opened 21 years ago.
Mr. Jones is beam of laughter wherever he goes. But you wouldn’t be able to tell that Jones is going through a hard time right now.
"It was a hard pill to swallow but I took in stride," Jones said.
Jones is currently battling multiple myeloma, a type of bone marrow cancer. He was diagnosed in April. He’ll be entering an inpatient treatment facility in Dallas for a month.
"But they can deal with it. They can keep it down so I can maybe live a normal life," Jones said.
Jones has been working as a janitor for Jacksonville ISD for 35 years, 21 of those years at Nichols Intermediate. Since he’ll be out of work for a month, that means bills will soon start to rack up, including for the care of his 2-year-old grandson that he and his wife adopted.
"Oh man, he’s a two. That’s what I call him, two. But now he’s starting daycare," Jones said.
That's why a group of friends got together to help Jones out with his expenses.
"I didn’t know nothing about it," Jones said.
Jones is very humbled which is why he was reluctant to get the fundraiser started when he heard about it. And the persistence of his friends is why he calls them.
"That’s family, that’s family right there," Jones said.
Mr. Jones keeping his positive spirit and optimism.
"I try not to think about it too much," Jones said.
And for anyone who has or will be participating in the fundraiser, Mr. Jones would like to say...
"I’d like to tell them, that I love them," Jones said.
If you would like to participate in the fundraiser, you can head over to Tony Jacki Bolton Cattle’s Facebook page by clicking HERE.