Alabama man visits Maine to help mow lawns, bring community together

PORTLAND (WGME) – An Alabama man is travelling around the country, mowing lawns for free, in hopes of helping people and bringing police and neighbors together.

It was rainy Wednesday, but that didn’t stop Rodney Smith Jr. from mowing a lawn on Deering Avenue.

"I can't let rain stop me," Smith Jr. said.

It’s a service he does for free.

"I'm driving through all 50 states, mowing free lawn for the elderly, disabled, single parents and veterans," Smith Jr. said.

This is his 13th state so far, on his sixth national tour, and every place he goes to, he invites police to come and help him.

"I'm just trying to bring communities together, and build that relationship between communities and officers," Smith Jr. said.

He says he doesn't want Americans to think poorly of their police.

"If one incident happens, they blame it on all officers,” Smith Jr. said. “I want people to know that not all officers are bad. There's really good officers out there."

And after signing the lawnmower, the officers helped Smith Jr. finish the job.

Neighbors say they love what he is doing, and Portland police agree.

But Smith Jr. says the work is far from over.

"I look to them as heroes, and I still do,” Smith Jr. said. “They go through a lot. I don't think people understand what they go through, and getting the perspective of the officers and what they go through is a lot."