It’s been a whirlwind two weeks for Richard Goodall, Vigo County School Corp. custodian and now international celebrity as America’s Got Talent winner.
After being gone for several weeks as AGT competition advanced, he arrived back in Terre Haute late Wednesday, took care of business — including a doctor’s visit — on Thursday and was back on the job as West Vigo Middle School custodian at 6 a.m. Friday.
“It feels very nice” to be home, he told reporters after a celebration for him Friday in the West Vigo High School Green Dome.
The show finals were Sept. 17, he got married to fiancée Angie Vanoven on Sept. 18, and AGT taped the finale Sept. 19 — in which Goodall got to sing with legendary rock band Journey.
In fact, Goodall learned Sept. 19 that he had won, but he couldn’t tell anyone — nor could audience members reveal the results — until the finale aired this past Tuesday.
He compared his life the past few weeks to the Ozzy Osbourne song “Crazy Train” played by the West Vigo band during Friday’s celebration.
“It was a crazy train, but a wonderful crazy train. The AGT people were absolutely amazing,” he said.
In fact, when he and Angie got married, the couple took care of the license and wedding rings, but the AGT staff took care of the rest — including a dinner in Malibu along the Pacific Ocean.
While the future, and opportunities, are wide open, Goodall said, for now, he’s returned to a job that provides a steady income as he awaits his earnings from winning AGT.
Goodall said there are offers, but he can’t disclose anything just yet. He anticipates being part of America’s Got Talent 20th season, he said.
“The opportunities are kind of endless right now,” he said. “We’ll see what happens.”
While he’s a rock star among his many fans, “I don’t feel any more special than anyone else. I’m just the same as anyone else,” he said.
He’s thankful to everyone for their support, whether financial or through their votes that made it possible for him to win America’s Got Talent.
With each round of competition, he had no expectations.
So each time he did advance, “I dropped my head, like, I can’t believe you guys put me through to the next round. I left it all on the stage. I did everything I could every single time. Not only did I try to pull through for you, you guys pulled through for me.”
And his message to fans is, “From the bottom of my heart, and [from] Angie too, thank you.”
He recognizes “how truly amazing and wonderful this whole experience has been … All of this is not lost on me. I know how extremely lucky I am.”