Family of late, beloved custodian at North Allegheny's Hosack Elementary School honors his memory with book

If one word could describe Hosack Elementary’s late custodian Kevin Cavlovich, it would be kind.

That’s the core message of “Looking for Kindness,” a new book about Cavlovich — Mr. Kevin, as he was called by students — the school’s former head custodian, who at age 30 died unexpectedly of viral encephalitis on Jan. 5 at his O’Hara Township home.

In the months following, students from Hosack sent cards to the family telling stories of Kevin’s kindness. They became the inspiration for a children’s book written by Kevin’s mother, Deb Cavlovich, and his sister, Stephanie Waters, that was launched in September.

“The stories helped with my darkest times with grief, which gave me something to deal with and be positive,” said Deb Cavlovich, of Shaler. “Hosack Elementary stories were our inspiration for the book. The stories told about Mr. Kevin, and his friendliness and kind acts are all depicted in “Looking for Kindness”.”

Hosack students heard all about Mr. Kevin’s tales, as Waters, of Pittsburgh’s Regent Square read the book to them on Oct. 12 during a school assembly.

“This book helped us put our pain into purpose. Having something good come out of our grief and sadness and promote kindness through the book as Kevin would have wanted. This was just in his nature, and he would have never expected the outpouring of love we have received,” said his mother.

“Looking for Kindness,” illustrated by Lana Lee, is available at various retailers including Amazon, Barnes Noble, and Penguin Bookshop.

The family funded the book, and sales will be used for more kindness projects at the school.

Waters shared some stories, including when Kevin picked up a sick student and carried him to the school nurse’s office. A fellow employee commented that the custodian didn’t have to carry him, but Kevin replied, “This is just how we do things here,” according to his sister.

“Each kid had a story. He would go to the Dollar Store and buy stuff for kids,” said dad, Michael Cavlovich. “He was so strong and outgoing and willing to help anyone he could.”

The Shaler graduate had just purchased a house in O’Hara that he was very proud of, his mother said.

Over the year, the family and the Hosack Parent Faculty Association teamed up to honor his memory, including selling a T-shirt with the logo #BeLikeMrKevin. The funds raised went back to the school. The family also put the same phrase on wristbands they distributed to Hosack students, thanks to money raised from a GoFundMe account in his name.

The family had specially themed trash cans purchased for the school’s front entrance. Hosack planted a tree with a plaque in Kevin’s memory, said his mother. The family purchased and installed lanterns in the lobby of Hosack in Kevin’s honor.

The family is working on having a “Mr. Kevin” entrance awning installed next year through the funds they raise at Hosack. Deborah said the family is working with the Hosack Parent Faculty Association to add kindness reminders to the walkway as students use this pathway to and from the school bus.

The Cavlovichs are sponsoring a kindness essay contest for Hosack fifth graders with cash, a trophy and goodie bag for the top three winners.

“Looking for Kindness” will be donated to all elementary schools in North Allegheny, Shaler and Fox Chapel Area school districts. Books will also be donated to local libraries, Deb said.

“Being able to be so connected to him and to share a side of him is so impactful to people. We talk about him often,” said Carla Hudson, principal of Hosack.