Richard Goodall gets pep rally welcome in Terre Haute after 'America's Got Talent' win

Richard Goodall gets pep rally welcome in Terre Haute after America's Got Talent win. Photos of school heroes line the walls of the gymnasium at West Vigo High School. The walls of the gym, called the Green Dome, are filled with memorabilia from decades of the school's history. It's a mini-museum with shadow boxes filled with 1960s-era senior cords, letterman jackets, and photos of championship football, basketball, and cross-country teams. There's even a framed newspaper sports page featuring Larry Bird, at that point a Celtic star. But that's not why he's here. He student-taught at the school in 1979. And on the court Friday stood the school's newest hero, Richard Goodall, a long-time janitor with the school district, and the recently-crowned winner of NBC's America's Got Talent. Goodall captured fans' hearts and minds from the moment he appeared on television. His stunning audition performance of Journey's Don't Stop Believin' brought the Los Angeles audience to their feet and won him a golden buzzer from Judge Heidi Klum, automatically advancing him to the live rounds of the show. He sailed through the quarterfinals, then the semifinals, then the win. The days since have been a whirlwind. Goodall and his now-wife, Angie, returned to Indiana late Wednesday, ran errands Thursday, and Goodall was back to work at 6 a.m. Friday. A few hours later, students, school leaders, and city officials celebrated his return with a pep rally. Goodall was joined on stage by three students representing the middle and high schools, who interviewed him about his experience. What got you interested in singing? Which performance was your favorite? What inspired you to believe in yourself? Goodall said the people right in front of him had played a major role in his success. You don't choose TV. TV chooses you, he said. Yeah, I had a good story. But I've been singing to you kids for years and years. At the end of the day, I had enough talent to showcase not just me, but all of you amazing people. It's difficult to overstate the reach Goodall's story has had. His performances have amassed more than 10 million YouTube views, and that's just on the AGT account. His videos have also made the rounds on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Tim Sanders, general manager of WTO, the local NBC affiliate, said there were 50,000 televisions tuned into the final results show on their local station. The total population of Vigo County is just over 106,000. Christopher Tanner, the middle school's principal, said the school has fielded emails from Canada, Scotland, Germany, and phone calls from likely all 50 states, he said. The school has received fan mail on his behalf, and the district spokesperson is fielding media requests left and right. It's not just that Goodall's talent demands attention, said Jester Toe Hill, chief of staff for the Terre Haute Mayor. It's who he is as a person, and what he's taught everyone watching. Your courage, your humility, and your undeniable talent are a beacon of hope for anyone who has ever wondered if it's too late to pursue their passion, Toe Hill said. You've proven that it's never too late, and we are all better having witnessed your journey. Goodall took every opportunity to impart life lessons and wisdom to the students gathered with him in the school's gym. I stepped out of my comfort zone, he said of his audition, and I can tell you kids with absolute certainty that you will be at your best when you step out of your comfort zone. Things won't always go their way, he cautioned, but if they keep it anything long enough, it will work out. Every time I sang, I sang from the heart, and I left it all on the stage, he said. Each time that you do what you do, do it with passion, and leave it out there, and let the world take notice. Because I promise you, eventually, at some point, somebody's gonna take notice, and you're gonna take charge. And Goodall's journey doesn't stop here. Goodall said he's had a few job offers come in, including a New Year's Eve gig from a pretty big place, but he's taking his time making decisions, and nothing is done without his wife Angie's input and support. If I was young like all of you, he told students, I've got the rest of my life to do many great, wonderful things, but being 55, you have a little bit different perspective.