Meet the man who traveled to all 50 states to mow lawns for veterans

WABC logo
Saturday, June 15, 2019
Man travels to all 50 states to mow lawns for veterans
A 29-year-old man who traveled to every state to mow lawns for free for veterans said he hopes to "encourage others to get others to get out there and help out, especially the veterans."

A 29-year-old man who traveled to every state to mow lawns for free for veterans said he hopes to "encourage others to get others to get out there and help out, especially the veterans."



Rodney Smith Jr., of Huntsville, Alabama, finished off his most recent nationwide tour on Thursday in Hawaii. He told "Good Morning America" that it all started five years ago when he saw an elderly man trying to mow his lawn.



"It looked like he was struggling, so I pulled over and helped him," he said. "That's when I got my goal to mow lawns for free for the elderly, single moms and veterans."





He then made it his mission to help others, starting the 50 Lawn Challenge to encourage people to help others in their community.



The challenge went viral in 2017 and now has 400 kids participating nationwide.



On his most recent tour of the country, Smith dedicated his time specifically to helping veterans.



"I've come across so many veterans that are struggling to get their lawn mowed," he told ABC News. "If they served for our country, we should step up for them."



"This is the least we can do," he added. "This is the last thing they need to worry about."



ABC News contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2024 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.