Former colleagues helped a man with terminal cancer repaint his house to show support to the retired teacher.
Tim Gjoraas of Sioux Falls, South Dakota was diagnosed with colon cancer last year. After undergoing chemotherapy treatments, he was told that he may only have a few months to live.
Speaking to CNN, he said he found out that he was not going to win the fight. After teaching at Washington High School for 22 years, Gjoraas was forced to retire at the age of 45 so he can spend more time with his family.
"They gave a time frame," he wrote on his social media account, "it is not enough!" Still, he said he was feeling good and planning many trips with his family and make many memories as they can.
"We are a family"
Gjoraas' coworkers at the high school love him dearly. He recalled that when he got the news that he had terminal cancer, people stepped up to organize a fundraiser for them, telling him that his family deserves it, and he deserves it. "At Washington, we are a family," said one coworker. Gjoraas said he is humbled by the overwhelming support.
He said his wife would like to have their house repaint the brown walls of their house blue. So he asked his friend and fellow retired teacher, Doug Rinken, to help him with the home improvement project. On Saturday, September 26, Gjoraas was surprised by his colleagues at Washington High. They arrived carrying brushes, paint sprayers, and tarps.
True to their word, the teachers showed their solidarity by helping Gjoraas repaint his house. The team accomplished the paint job in just five hours and later enjoyed lunch in the driveway.
Rinken said he wasn't sure at first if anyone would be willing to help, but he is prepared to help and do the work himself if no one else would come with him. However, his colleagues did not disappoint him. It only took an hour of making phone calls to have a dozen people saying yes to him. Meanwhile, other people donated money for the paint while others provided food.
It will not change anything, but it makes them feel better
Rinken said that he understands that whatever they do, it is not going to be enough and it will not change anything. Yet, he hopes that his friend would feel a little bit better as it did make them feel a little better.
Gjoraas said he didn't expect that the help he will get will represent people from all his 22 years at the school. This year, he got torn out of the classroom, he told Argus Leader, and that he misses teaching. It did make him feel good to get back together with former coworkers and reminisce about the past.
What did he realize with the outpouring of support from the community? "If you spend your life being a good person," and you surround yourself with good people and try to make "a positive impact on your community," then people will show up when you need help.
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