Everyday, students and teachers see the familiar face of Ronny Goodson. When Goodson was diagnosed with prostate cancer, the school made an immense effort by selling T-Shirts and created different fundraisers within the school to help show and send support to Goodson and his family.
“This is home to him,” Communication Arts teacher EK Pearson said. “It’s a great thing for the school to do so that Ronny could see that he truly is loved in the building. I think that was the most humbling part about it, that Ronny realizes just how many people care about him.”
Although dealing with the situation wasn’t easy, Goodson said he couldn’t wait to come back to BVNW and begin working again. He said he wishes he could thank everyone for all of the support.
“I didn’t realize how much I missed this place,” Goodson said. “I was off two months and two days, and I had a lot of time to sit and think about this place, and after all the prayers and gifts they gave me I’m like ‘you know what … this is the greatest place in the world for me to be at.’”
On April 8 when Ronny returned to BVNW from his leave of absence, Pearson said she was relieved to have him back and healthy.
“The morning he got back, he did come see me to say hello, and it brought tears to my eyes to see him,” Pearson said. “Ronny is a very emotional man, he doesn’t like a lot of attention on himself, so the fact that the school rose to the occasion and helped him is very humbling to him. He did say that he’s still floored by what everybody did here for him and what that shows to him.”
After being gone for so long, Goodson said he began to realize how special and amazing BVNW was, and just how much support he had here.
“I would go home and talk to my wife about this place and one day she asked me, ‘Ronny, is it really like that?’ and I said, ‘You don’t know how special this place is.’”
After going through high school and becoming a custodian Goodson said that he realized being a custodian wasn’t easy, it’s hard work and he wanted students to know who he was in a positive way.
“When I was in high school I saw custodians, but I never knew any of their names, and that’s one thing I wanted, was for you guys to know who I was, on a good, positive note,” Goodson said. “When I say good morning and smile, I mean it.”
Staff and students aren’t the only ones expressing support for Goodson.
“I’ve had parents come up and tell me that they’re praying for me,” Goodson said. “The kids, the staff, everybody has just been unbelievable.”
Going through such a hard, long and difficult experience Goodson said that it took a toll on him, but he is feeling better and is happy to be back.
“I feel good, it takes a while to fully recover, but I feel good enough to come to work and do what I gotta do,” Goodson said. “There was some dark days in there, but it was okay because I knew I had support here to come back too.”
