A Houston woman was living in fear until she reached out for help. What happened next shows the power of community.

HOUSTON — A Houston woman who couldn’t afford tree removal on her fixed income received free help from a local business owner after her story aired on KHOU 11 last week. Margaret Johnson had been worried that dangerous trees on her property could fall on her home at any moment.

Kirby White, owner of Branchbusters Tree Service, and his crew spent hours clearing the hazardous trees around Johnson’s home after seeing her original story on television. The work included cutting down two dead trees, trimming another, and clearing vines – all done at no cost to Johnson.

“We cut the top of it back and took out the vines… so now the tree won’t blow over on your house,” White explained to Johnson after completing the work.

Johnson had initially reached out to KHOU 11 because she said she couldn’t get help removing the trees that posed a threat to her property. 

“I can’t get any help… anyone to come and cut it down,” she had said in the original story.

White said he was moved to action immediately after watching the broadcast. 

“As soon as I saw it come on the television and saw her, I said oh I can cut that,” he told KHOU 11.

The free tree service brought tremendous relief to Johnson, who had been living with the constant worry about her safety. 

“It is very seldom you get someone to come out and be that kind,” she said, expressing her gratitude for White’s generosity.

Johnson was emotional about receiving the help, calling it a blessing. 

“Oh wow. God is good. God is good. Yes, indeed. Channel 11 I cannot thank you enough,” she said.

For White, the decision to help was about community service. When asked about his message to others, he said, “If you have a chance and you have the wherewithal, you could help out some people.” He added that seeing Johnson’s reaction made the volunteer work “all worth it.”

The project resulted in clean, safe trees around Johnson’s property and peace of mind for the homeowner. Johnson expressed one final request after the work was completed, saying she would “love to meet Mr. Cannon.” KHOU 11 anchor Len Cannon agreed to meet Johnson.

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