ROWLETT, Texas -- We didn’t realize that picking up recycling was a full body workout until we met Demarian Henderson.
"It’s not an easy job, even though we make it look easy," said Henderson, who's been working on the back of waste trucks for the last three years.
Five days a week, he’s working four to five different Rowlett neighborhoods as part of FCC Trash and Recycling. His boundless energy comes with a way of looking at the world you might not expect from your local garbage man.
"Some people look at their job like, "Ugh, I’ve got to do the same thing over and over," said Henderson. "It's like a different experience for me every day, is the way I look at it."
Lucky for us, one of Henderson’s memorable experiences was caught on camera. Someone had left an old mattress out in front of their yard for a bulk trash pickup. That's different from Henderson's usual rounds, so he didn't see work. He saw an opportunity.
"I saw a big mattress, and my first thought is ‘Hmmm. I wonder if it’s bouncy enough for me to jump?' he said.
Video recorded on the homeowner's surveillance camera shows Henderson stepping on the mattress, bounce a few times, then go back to picking up the trash can and dumping it out.
"I dump the can, then I wanted to go back to the mattress because It looked fun! So I got my bounce. Then I hit my backflip!"
Like it's easy, Henderson flips upside down before hopping back on the truck and going on to the next house.
The homeowner who caught Henderson’s gymnastics on surveillance loved it. He shared it on Facebook, where the feeling was mutual.
"A lady came up, she was like 'Are you the one who did the back flip?' I’m like 'Yeah that’s me,'" said Henderson. "She’s like 'Oh my God!'"
Seeing an adult have a moment of unbridled childlike joy took Henderson's neighborhood celebrity citywide. The video spreading actually helped Henderson meet another one of his workplace goals, bringing a positive attitude to every house on the block.
"You never know, somebody might have looked at that video, and it probably put a smile on their face," he said. "I’m glad that I do that for people."