Help Roberto's Family Honor His Final Wish

My name is Tom Wilson. I work at a large box home improvement store. For the past 8 years, our store has been blessed with the hardest working custodian. His name is Jose "Roberto" Martinez.

Roberto works for a third party, contract vendor. Actually, in the past 5 years, we have had three different vendors. Each time, we told them, hire Roberto. On one occasion, Roberto actually took a $1 paycut. He felt like family at our store. We definitely feel the same towards Roberto.

Roberto worked 7 days a week at our store. 5 a.m. till 10 or 10:30. No days off. Then 5 days a week, he would leave our store and work 8 hour shifts for another custodial service. That's right, 75 hours week, no days off. He used the money he made for his family here and he sent money back to Mexico to family who were still there. Roberto had dual citizenship. Many of his family could only visit on a tourist visa. He would take two weeks off around Christmas to visit family back home in Mexico.

He smiled and said hello to everyone who works at out store. A fist pump, a thumbs up, a high five, or a hug.

From 5-6 he would clean the bathrooms and take out bathroom trash. At 6 a.m. he would start running the floor scrubbing machine. 103,000 square feet of floors. Our floors shined and if you had soft sole shoes, they would often squeak. During his shift, he emptied outside trash, all inside trash cans, and vacuumed the carpet at our main entrance. Before leaving, he would touch up the bathrooms. He left our store immaculate every day. Never complaing about anything, always a smile on his face. He provided a level of dignity to all of the employees and customers at our store. Clean floors, no mounds of trash, and a clean bathroom. One in a million worker.

If Roberto saw an employee struggling to lift a box or clean up a display that fell over. He was the first to jump in and help.

A man of deep faith and love for family, Roberto was just as amazing of a person, as he was a custodian.

On Friday, April 18, 2025 Roberto suffered a heart attack. He drove home and told his wife he did not feel well. She was alarmed, as Roberto never complained about any pain or ailments. She said, you should go to the hospital. Knowing he did not have health insurance, he said, I will just rest. Saturday morning, still feeling bad, his son drove him to urgent care. He was informed he had a significant heart attack and his blood sugar was sky high. He went to the hospital. ER doctor attempted to open one of two blocked arteries with no success. On Sunday, he was transported to a bigger hospital. A second failed attempt to open the arteries was done. They did attach a heart pump. Roberto layed in ICU for another 5 days. On Friday April 25th, the doctors removed the heart pump. Roberto passed away 10 minutes later. His family here and back home are devastated. As are his work family members.

Because he did not work directly for our company, there was no life insurance. It was Roberto's wish and his family's wish that his body be returned to Mexico.

We, his work family, are doing a loaded baked potato today. April 28, 2025.

It appears as though we will be able to raise about $2,500 among about 45 employees to help the family.

Total cost for a 1 hour visitation, storing his body for 4-6 weeks until all paperwork is completed through the consulate in Mexico, and airfare will run between $10,000 and $12,000.

I have never done a gofundme campaign. My coworkers encouraged me to do one, so here I am. I am the employee committee captain, so folks look at me when a need arises. This is one big need. We are a lower volume big box store with fewer employees than most of our sister stores, and hey, folks working in retail generally don't make the highest of wages. We are doing what we can, but sure could use some help.

I started working when I was 13. Now 59, nearly the same age as Roberto. In my 46 years of working, I can count on one hand the number of people I have worked with who not only were great workers, but just as great of a human being. Roberto was special, and we will not forget him.

If anyone deserves a final wish to be buried in his homeland, it's our friend and coworker Roberto. Anything helps, and is greatly appreciated.

His family, is as humble and down to earth as Roberto. Last Monday, when I went to visit Roberto at the hospital, I brought a $200 Visa gift card with me. I gave it to his son, outside of his dad's room. His son said, "no, no, no." I said look, you, your mom, your brother, and niece are here at the hospital. Use if to buy food in the cafeteria, or gas money if you need to drive home, shower, and take a nap. I said, "Your dad is not working and you and your brother had to take time off from work. Please take it." He was so grateful.

I pray enough people read this, and find it in the heart to help a great guy who raised a great family.