Former Horizon High student Misael Hernandez remembered through acts of kindness

Friday the city of Horizon celebrated an Act of Kindness Day.

The special day was created to honor the memory of former Horizon High School student Misael Hernandez.

Aug. 19 marked Hernandez’s birthday. Friends and family along with others called an Act of Kindness Day to spread the kindness that friends say Hernandez was known for.

With a week left before high school football begins, Horizon High School football players test their skills in a scrimmage and band members have a cookout celebrating their last day of band camp.

But on the day of Aug. 19 they also remember Hernandez.

Hernandez died in 2014 after drowning in a lake during a church retreat, just two weeks after graduation.

“He graduated No.2 in his class. He gave his valedictorian speech at his graduation. He’s one of the best students I’ve ever had,” said Horizon High band director Raul Candelaria.

Candelaria said Hernadez’s goal was to make everyone happy.

“He would see someone that was having trouble and he would take the initiative and go down there and talk to him,” Candelaria said.

Bandmates like Vivian Olivo say they still remember Hernandez’s own kindness.

“I would always be one of the first ones here and he’s always had breakfast for everybody and I’d be the last one to go home and he always made sure we had a ride and fit as many people as he could in his truck,” Olivo said.

Others like Daniela Rios told ABC-7 Hernandez was also a inspiration to many.

“Misael had a lot of dedication. He was a really good guy and he would always put a hundred percent into everything,” Rios said.

Friends said they spread a little kindness in memory of Hernandez themselves.

“I got myself some coffee at McDonald’s this morning and paid for the two cars behind me,” Candelaria said.

ABC-7 cameras caught a young gentleman giving his piece of cake to a young girl.

“Like a songs says, stay humble and help the person in line in front of you, that’s how he was,” Lluvia Gomez said.

Hernandez would have turned 20 on Saturday.