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IRONTON, Ohio. (WSAZ) - When most people see trash on the side of the road, they make a point to walk around it - but not D.J. Cohenour. He makes it a point to clean it up one step at a time.

His friend, Jessica Easterling, said, “if they need something, he will go out of his way to try and help. I’ve seen him weed flower beds. I’ve seen him remove like brush that’s growing across the side walks. trash is nothing for him. he’s cleaned up things that other people wouldn’t have touched, animals that have been run over on the road, and he’s the one that says ‘I would rather that I would be the one to find it than someone’s kid.”

Easterling may know Cohenour well, but it was the work of strangers who helped make him our next Hometown Hero. Some of those who nominated him said they only met him once or twice, but really appreciate all he does for the community.

“I met him a several years ago just as I’d stopped to thank him for cleaning up the city, and he told me a little about his story, that he’d had some health issues and wanted to get healthy and also wanted to give back to the community. So, he grabbed his trash can and started cleaning the streets,” Amanda Cleary said, “Definitely represents the orange and black with all the Tiger pride... and he definitely is an Ironton Hometown Hero.”

With his tiger printed can he uses to help make the city clean.

Cohenour started picking up trash after he had a health scare.

“What got it going was I had a heart attack, and the doctor told me I had to start walking to get some exercise for my heart. As I started walking, I noticed you couldn’t look any which way - left, right, forward, or back, and you wouldn’t see litter. Little bottles cans plastics or whatever, just everywhere, and as I started, I just started with a little bag to start picking up the trash. But, every where you look there’s still trash further on, and that little bag just got too little, so I made a little wagon and put some wheels on it. I go around with a can now and sweep up the trash and keep the center of town looking nice anyway,” Cohenour said.

If you can’t spot him with the orange and black, you’ll probably be able to hear him coming with the loud music he sometimes has going, and if you’re lucky, you may catch him off guard dancing and having a great time.

However, come holiday times and special occasions, you may not recognize him. He’ll sometimes be in a goofy costume looking to brighten people’s day.

“He’s an incredible person. He’s kind, he’s loving, and he has an appreciation for his community that is unmatched,” James Gordon said.

His wife, Bonita Cohenour, now looks forward to hearing about his adventures when he gets home from walking miles on end, “and he’ll just tell me all these stories about how this one was, and how this one pulled over and said ‘hi, thank you,’ and all his little stories and he’s always so happy when he tells me. I kinda look forward to his story time now.”

Easterling said from Cohenour’s own efforts to keep the city clean, she and her family think twice when they see litter.

She also said she notices her neighbors in her area have started cleaning up more since Cohenour started his mission.

Cohenour said if you want to help him keep the city clean to reach out to him! He’ll help you get all set up.