Terre Haute’s singing janitor Richard Goodall has won the hearts of America with his voice on America’s Got Talent. Now, he’s also won the show’s $1 million prize.
When host Terry Crews announced his name as the winner Tuesday night, judge Heidi Klum came up right away and gave Goodall a hug. She was so impressed with his first audition that she pressed her golden buzzer, sending him directly to the semifinals.
YIIIIPPPPPIIIII Richard you just WON @agt !!! ????? I knew from the first moment I saw you that you were destined to be a star … So so so proud of you my Golden Buzzer. Watching America fall in love with you like I did was the highlight of my season and I can’t wait to watch… pic.twitter.com/gIoLuzTydn — Heidi Klum (@heidiklum) September 25, 2024
The Terre Haute community has been following Goodall from the start of his journey.
The 55-year-old has worked as a custodian in the Vigo County School Corporation for 23 years, most recently at West Vigo Middle School.
Goodall’s viral cover of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” caught the attention of show judge Howie Mandel, which is what helped him get on the show.
Journey’s last-living original guitarist and vocalist Neal Schon joined Goodall in the finale-episode rendition of the song.
While on the show, he also sang Journey's " Faithfully,” Michael Bolton's " How Am I Supposed to Live Without You?" and Survivor’s " Eye of the Tiger.”
His journey has continued to inspire students and staff at Vigo County School Corporation with his message of perseverance.
“[The students] have been really excited today,” said West Vigo Middle School Principal Christopher Tanner. “One young lady even said that it made her start crying when they announced him as the winner.
“We have students that I see walking around with his autograph on the back of their cell phones,” he said. “He's autographed folders for them, the covers that they keep on their Chromebooks here. They just love Richard.”
Students, teachers and staff most recently held a welcome-home celebration for Goodall. He returned to his job in between flying out to California for the show.
“He has just really brought this whole community together,” Tanner said.
Tanner said the school has received letters from fans all over the world wanting to congratulate Goodall and visit him.
“It has been a whirlwind for us here at West Vigo,” he said. “But as I tell everybody, Richard is a very humble person, and what you see on TV, he's just like that in person. So, it makes it very easy for us here at West Vigo to support him and to want to be a part of this whole process with him.”
While he was out of the office with his newborn daughter, Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun celebrated Goodall’s win on X.
“Richard Goodall did it!! We are all so inspired and proud of him,” he said in the post. “Don't. Stop. Believing.”
“We're super proud, and I keep telling everyone that people finally know how to say the name of our town, Terre Haute, correctly,” LaDonna Ingram, executive assistant at the mayor’s office, said in a phone interview Wednesday.
Does Tanner expect Goodall to stay at the school?
“That's up to Richard,” he said. “He's been a huge part of our school culture, school community the last two years. But I totally understand, and by all means, would graciously wish him well if he chose to go a different route at this point.”
The city of Terre Haute and the Vigo County School Corporation are planning to host a winner's celebration for Goodall when he returns home.
