The Power of Perseverance

 

In 2000, at 29 years old, I became Director of Public Works for a municipality in PR. I knew nothing about government or construction, but I did know how to gather a group and put them to work.

This photo shows my last day at the office. The tall guy in the corner is Charlie (AKA "my bodyguard"). He was not an employee when I started, but he would visit the office daily and ask if I could give him a job.

He'd ask if he could wash the fleet or do anything that didn't require him to read.

At one point, after months of Charlie asking, I got approval for a janitor position. I said, "Charlie, would you like to be a janitor?" You know how I am. Things need to be super clean".

Charlie started crying. From then on, not only was he the best janitor in the building, but nobody could say anything wrong about me in front of him because Charlie would stop them and say, "You cannot disrespect the engineer in front of me."

Charlie was loyal and thorough in his work; he often asked me if I was happy with his performance, but more than that, he was grateful for the opportunity and very committed to his work.

Charlie was sad that day in the photo. I don't know what he is doing now. It's been over 24 years since I left, but Charlie taught me the value of not giving up, the beauty of humility, and the power of service.