The city of Toronto and the internet at large won't soon forget Carter Trozzolo, the nine-year-old who was granted the epithet of "shovel kid" after a hilarious live interview with CTV News back in January.

The despondent Trozzolo was filmed arduously shovelling driveways around his neighbourhood during the city's epic snowstorm that month, bemoaning the task all the while.

"I really wish I was in school right now," Trozzolo sighed to the reporter, adding that he had to clear snow manually for not only his own house, but for neighbours, friends and "probably people I even don't [sic] know."

"I'm tired," he huffed.

One of my favourite kids was on the news tonight in Toronto and I have officially died. I’m dead. The name plate alone. Gold. pic.twitter.com/3XNs27oHoh

— Meaghan Derynck (@MeaghanDerynck) January 18, 2022

The boy's dramatic but somehow past-the-point-of-caring frustration with the storm and with life in general really hit home for viewers who were likewise trapped in record-breaking levels of snow amid a miserable winter during yet another form of COVID-19 lockdown.

And, the popularity of the video stretched worldwide, even landing the youth a promotional deal with LEGO the following month.

Now, months later, Carter's interview is still gaining traction, most recently with multi-platinum American Idol singer Kelly Clarkson, who called it out on her eponymous show this week — and gave the Toronto student a substantial gift.

In her "What I'm Liking" segment on Wednesday, Clarkson played the viral footage of Trozzolo hard at work, which she said "has had a lasting impact" on both her and her staff.

The young'n proceeds to actually join the star on the show via video, explaining that he was sent out to shovel by his mom that day because he was bored after school was cancelled over the weather.

By the time CTV came around, "I was extremely exhausted," Carter says, adding,"I think people liked the video because we're all exhausted from COVID, work, isolation, or other things that I have no idea about. And I know how they feel because I am always exhausted."

It is then that host and sponsor Pilot gift the pre-teen $1,000 for his efforts in helping out his community, a surprise that he seems absolutely shocked about.

Just watched "The Kelly Clarkson Show" & if you remember the video of 10 yr old Carter from Toronto, the exhausted snow shoveller, he was Kelly's 'Like' of the day. She found him hilarious & completely amused by him. She passed on the $1,000 from Pilot pens to Carter. Snowblower?

— Nancy Crouse (@Nancy_Crouse) May 4, 2022

"See, it was worth it!" Clarkson laughs, showing that hard work (and perhaps complaining about it?) does indeed pay off.