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Janitor leaves his $175,000+ life savings to victims of child abuse

Alvin Randlett was beloved by his community throughout his life. In death, he gave his life savings back to it.

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Paul P. Murphy (CNN)
(CNN) — Alvin Randlett was beloved by his community throughout his life. In death, he gave his life savings back to it.

The custodian spent so much time at Sixth District Elementary School in Covington, Kentucky, he retired in 2001 with more than 300 days of sick leave, said best friend Jeff Siska.

Randlett truly loved that building and all who walked its halls.

"He would take his personal days off to take field trips to chaperone the kids," Siska says.

Although melanoma took his life on December 9, 2015, Randlett's legacy is going to live on through the Kentucky Child Victims' Trust Fund because of a portion of his will.

Fund officials weren't ready for Jeff Siska's call notifying them of the $175,217.19 donation.

"The lady started crying," he told CNN.

Word of the bequest was recently publicized because of the settling of Randlett's estate.

Siska says Randlett lived a comfortable life; he loved walking places and never drove a single mile in his life. When he retired in 2001 after 32 years with Covington Independent Public Schools, the janitor was making $13.43 an hour when he retired.

The fund honored Randlett with a posthumous award on Tuesday.

"The generous bequest from Mr. Randlett deserves never-ending remembrance and appreciation," said Attorney General Andy Beshear. "Mr. Randlett's act allows the Child Victims' Trust Fund to protect more Kentucky children from abuse and make a positive difference in the lives of thousands of Kentuckians for years to come."

The nonprofit funds programs that help inform Kentuckians how to indentify and report child abuse and provides communities with preventative resources. It also helps pay the cost of child sexual abuse medical exams.

Individual donations to the fund can be made on its website.

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