Fred Vautour spent years working overnight at Boston College while his children built their own lives on the same campus. His job carried a benefit that made a major difference for the family: eligible children could attend without paying tuition, provided they first earned admission.
His oldest daughter, Amy, began in 1998. By May 2016, all five children had graduated from the university. The last was Alicia, who received her nursing degree with her father there to hand her the diploma.
Boston College's account describes Vautour continuing his overnight custodial work at Robsham Theater throughout those years. The benefit opened a door, but each child still had to qualify for admission and complete the work required for a degree.
That distinction makes the family's story more meaningful, not less. His steady employment and their effort met in five separate graduations. For a father who wanted opportunities he had not had himself, the final ceremony marked the completion of a long family undertaking.
Sources: Original social story (saved source caption reviewed) Boston College — Labor of Love Yahoo — Vautour's Family and Night-Shift Work, 2017