Wichita senior faced a $240 fine for overgrown yard — then this lawn-mowing maven cleaned it up for free and raised $870K for her
When Beth from Wichita received a $240 municipal fine for her overgrown yard, she had no way of knowing that her life was about to change for the better.
The unmowed lawn led to a series of events that has left Beth with more than $870K to help her move toward a brighter future. She's currently deciding whether to make her existing home handicapped accessible or move to a patio home with her newfound riches.
Beth's story sounds like a fairy tale, but what it really is is a testament to the kindness of strangers. Here's what happened.
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How a TikToker changed one woman’s life
Beth couldn’t afford the fine, and called around trying to find someone to mow her property, but no one called back. Then someone tipped off fellow Wichita resident Spencer B. (who doesn’t share his last name) of SB Mowing.
Spencer is a social media influencer with a TikTok landscaping account and 50 million followers across multiple social media platforms. As his website states, “he is now on a mission to help those who need it the most while providing entertainment for millions of people.”
He put that mission statement to work for Beth. As reported on Witchita’s ABC Affiliate KAKE News, Spencer cleaned up her overgrown yard and posted the video of his work and her happy reaction on his social media accounts.
The story went viral, with more than 100 million views across multiple platforms to date. People around the world started asking how they could help Beth. That inspired Spencer to set up a GoFundMe page.
His initial goal was to raise enough to help Beth pay for a weekly lawn maintenance service along with other home improvements to make it safer and more accessible for her, as she walks with a cane and struggles to climb stairs. The wishlist included funding for a ramp to her door, chairlift, accessible bed and a new driveway as her existing driveway is a tripping hazard.
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Spencer wasn't sure if the funds would cover all those purchases, but much to his — and Beth's — surprise, the fundraiser took off. As of February 1, more than 34,000 people had contributed $873,616 for Beth.
“I told her I had a little more news for her,” Spencer said. “I had her hold my hand and take deep breaths because I didn’t want her to fall over when I told her how much money we raised.”
Spencer described Beth as very humble, and said she couldn't even cry because she was so surprised at the generosity of others.
"She kept telling me, ‘Why me? Why would people do this for me?’” Spencer said.
Now he is trying to arrange for a trust to help Beth manage her windfall and use the funds to fix up her current home or move to a more comfortable one. He said a full video of the story will follow soon on his YouTube channel.
Home maintenance can be hard for seniors
Maintaining a home is a challenge for retirees on a fixed income, especially for those who have disabilities and who cannot complete tasks around their home on their own. Inflation doesn’t make things any easier.
Commercial lawn service costs $100 to $400 per month on average, according to Home Guide.
Retrofitting a home for wheelchair access is very costly — ranging from $4,403 for basic wheelchair access to $19,675 for more extensive wheelchair-friendly renovations, according to Angi.
Seniors and people with disabilities who haven't budgeted for these expenses face real struggles, both financially and in their day-to-day life. And not everyone will be as lucky as Beth to have their financial woes disappear thanks to kind neighbors and viral TikTok videos.
The good news is that there are some federal grants to help pay for wheelchair-friendly home improvements.
Low-income rural residents aged 62 and over may qualify for USDA Rural Housing Repair grants. Veterans may qualify for the Department of Veterans Affairs’ disability housing grants.
Those who need help can contact their local Department of Aging to explore additional aid opportunities.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
