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Remember Icemageddon?

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Enrique Mendez, the janitor of J. L. Long Middle School, sure does.

Mendez was at work during the epic ice storm that shut down the city for the better part of a week. He spent several nights away from his family to maintain the heat in the building and save the pipes. All he had for company was the science department’s animals. He befriended the two guinea pigs and turtle and looked after the critters in Long’s four aquariums. He even watered the staff’s personal plants.

In short, Mendez is an exceptional janitor, which is why he has been nominated for Janitor of the Year, a nomination that puts him up against school staff from across the United States to snag the title.

Cintas is hosting the contest, and if Mendez wins he’ll receive $5,000 and the school will receive another $5,000.

Mendez has been at J. L. Long Middle School for four years. His bio says he “has been working with a limited custodial staff for the past year without complaint – often working 12-hour days and even some weekends in order to keep the school in tip-top shape.”

Click here to vote for Mendez.