He has claimed that his parents are also his siblings, has made multiple conflicting accounts of having been married and having children, has claimed that, in college, he came close to a world record in the 100m hurdles race, and has given an explanation for learning sign language so convoluted that he asks to have it read back to him when J.D. asks if any part of it is true. His childhood and family life are equally mysterious. The occasional flashback sequences imply that his parents were fastidious and mildly abusive. One flashback implies the loss of a stuffed animal in the "clutter" of his bedroom led him to take on a janitorial career. He also claims that his great-grandfather was the Civil War general Ambrose Burnside (mispronounced "Burnsides"). However, it is hinted on some occasions that Janitor's anecdotes are at times true to some degree, e.g. he does show a considerable skill in hurdles racing in the same episode in which he claims to almost have broken said world record.