Celebrities and news outlets are paying homage to Albert Lexie: the legendary shoe shiner who donated all of his tips to benefit sick, uninsured children.

The humble philanthropist passed away earlier this week at the age of 76.

From when he first started working at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in 1981 to when he retired in 2013, he donated $202,000 worth of shoe shining tips to the Free Care Fund, which ensures that every young patient can receive the medical care they need regardless of their families’ ability to pay.

Lexie would wake up every morning at 5:50AM so he could get to the hospital and start shining shoes at 7:25AM. Despite being credited for donating such an impressive sum of money, Lexie only made about $10,000 per year.

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“I wanted to see the kids get well, to see they got well and got better and things like that. … I made myself happy,” Lexie once told The Post-Gazette for his retirement.

Over the course of his 28-year career, the compassionate senior received a plethora of awards, recognitions, and media attention for his labor of love.

The hospital’s president, Christopher Gessner, noted that Lexie was “a perfect example of how just small, incremental acts of kindness can have a really significant impact over time.”

(WATCH the tribute hospital’s video below) – Photo by UPMC Children’s Hospital

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