Disabled Woman Felt ‘Ashamed’ of Her Overgrown Lawn. What Father-Son Duo Did Next ‘Restored’ Her Faith

About four years ago, Houston lawn care specialists Martin Hernandez and his son Daniel went to an elderly woman’s home to help with her overgrown yard. When they finished and told her the price, the woman tearfully explained that she couldn’t afford it.

“She told us she can’t afford her medication and how she’s really struggling at the moment,” Daniel, 19, tells PEOPLE. “And from there, we just told her, ‘You know what? Just forget about it. We’ll leave it at that.’”

That encounter inspired the father-and-son team behind M&D Lawn Care to realize just how many people in their community face similar hardships — unable to afford something as simple as lawn maintenance.

“We just went home and thought, ‘What a sad situation,’” Daniel recalls. “She’s put into this position and can’t pay for lawn care. It showed us there are probably more people out there [like her], and we just don’t know it.”

Now, one or two days a week, during their downtime, Martin, 59, and Daniel drive around Houston neighborhoods looking for overgrown lawns — and offer to mow them for free, with the homeowner’s permission.

They started documenting their efforts on social media, posting before-and-after videos that quickly gained attention for their powerful transformations and heartfelt reactions. Soon, the duo’s good deeds were being highlighted by local outlets, including CBS affiliate KHOU and ABC affiliate KTRK.

“We were going to some rough areas in the city where we know people are mostly low-income,” Daniel says. “We’d spot an overgrown yard, and I’d go knock on the door [since my dad doesn’t really speak English]. Sure enough, most were in tough situations, too.”

At first, many homeowners were skeptical, thinking the offer was too good to be true. “They were just looking at me as a kid,” Daniel explains. “They wouldn’t trust me until I showed them our videos. Then they’d say, ‘Okay, go ahead.’”

Once they get permission, Daniel sets up his GoPro camera, and the two get to work — sometimes for as long as 14 hours, depending on how much the yard needs. “Our fastest one was about six hours,” he says.

The reactions from those they help make every effort worth it. “All of the people we’ve helped are really grateful,” Daniel says. “Some just say thank you, and others start crying right there.”

He remembers one woman whose yard was so overgrown that he and his dad initially thought the property was abandoned. On a third drive-by, they discovered the woman was living in an RV parked on the driveway.

“The reason she’s in the RV is because her husband died inside the house,” Daniel says. “She didn’t want to go back in, and she has health issues, so she can’t really walk now.”
After the job was done, “she started crying twice,” he says. “It’s something to see how a yard can make such a difference for someone.”

Kimberly Ray, 56, who lives on a fixed income due to disability, says the pair were her “angels” after they spotted her overgrown lawn.
“They also trimmed and cleaned up the yard by bagging all the trash and debris,” Ray tells PEOPLE. “I had my front yard back and no longer had to be ashamed of it. It was beautifully done.”

She adds, “Without M&D Lawn Care doing my yard, I risked having a lien put on my house. They restored my faith. I cannot praise them enough! God bless them and their families.”

Shay Davis, 38, a mother of two, also received help from M&D after a relative saw the duo on TV. Her family had been struggling to recover their property after a deep freeze that left their yard in ruins.

“I just stepped out on faith and emailed them,” Davis recalls. “They got back to me the same day and said they’d help. They’re doing the Lord’s work. I cried. I’m truly so grateful for them.”

Their uplifting videos have now attracted a massive following — with M&D Lawn Care’s YouTube channel nearing 500,000 subscribers and their TikTok boasting around 378,000 followers. Some clips have been viewed millions of times.

While Martin doesn’t speak fluent English, he still loves reading the positive comments. “He comes up and tells me, ‘Wow, did you read this one?’” Daniel says. “He always gets so excited when he sees kind words.”

It’s not just M&D that gives back — the Hernandez family also runs MJD Pressure Washing, a second business involving Daniel and his older brother, Martin Jr., 28. That venture also donates its time to those in need and has amassed over 470,000 YouTube subscribers.

As for what’s next, Daniel says they’ll keep doing what they love: helping people.
“There are always people we don’t know about who are going through tough times,” he says. “Even if it’s something small, do what you can to help.”