MY SON ASKED A JANITOR ONE QUESTION IN A MALL FOOD COURT — AND IT CHANGED ALL OF OUR LIVES

My 6-year-old son, Micah, and I were eating at the mall when he noticed an older janitor who looked tired and sad. His name tag said “Frank.”

“Why does he look so sad?” Micah asked.
“Maybe he’s having a hard day,” I said.

Micah walked straight over, offered Frank his cookie, and gently asked, “Do you miss your dad?”
Frank broke down crying. He hugged Micah and later told us his 9-year-old son, James, had died two years earlier. Micah held his hand and said, “We carry people in our hearts when they’re gone.”

Two Weeks Later

Micah wanted to go back. This time, Frank came over smiling with a visitor badge.
“I told my boss I need Thursdays at noon free,” he said.

From then on, Thursdays became our tradition—stories, cookies, and quiet company. Frank slowly became family.

One Year Later

At Micah’s 7th birthday, Frank arrived with a book.
“Grandpa Frank’s here!” Micah shouted.

Frank looked at me, emotional.
“Is that okay?”
“Of course,” I said.

Sometimes the biggest changes come from the smallest kindness. Micah healed Frank’s heart— and Frank became a gift to ours.