Richard Goodall works at a middle school just a few blocks from his home in Terre Haute, Indiana. The 55-year-old, who has been a janitor for 23 years, often sings while on the clock — in part to pass the time but more because of the response he gets from the students and teachers passing by in the halls.

It was the support of the students, who call him Mr. Richard, that led Goodall to hop on a plane for the first time in his life to travel to Los Angeles and audition for “America’s Got Talent” and become a winner.

“I’m not a fancy person. I take out the trash, I wipe off the tables, I sweep the floors. I’m just having fun and I’m trying to make people happy,” Goodall said in a clip that aired ahead of his “AGT” audition. “The kids would hear me sing and they’d tell me that I’ve got talent. That’s why I’m here. That’s why I got on a plane.”

After winning AGT 2024, Goodall took time to visit some of the district’s youngest students and their teachers.

And the kids even started singing “Don’t Stop Believin’” – Goodall’s golden buzzer song – as he walked through the halls to give them high-fives and hugs.

Being the feel-good story of the season, Goodall has inspiring advice on chasing your dreams.

“The song ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ encompasses where I came from. If you don’t stop believing, if you put yourself out there, the possibilities are endless,” Goodall said. “Take a chance, take that risk and go for it. If you put yourself out of your comfort zone for just a minute, you’ll see the risk is worth the reward.”