How Willie Nelson is helping Houstonians mask up

HOUSTON, TX (KTRK) -- How would you like a fabric mask signed by Willie Nelson?

Well, thanks to the music legend, his granddaughter, and her friends, you can!

It all started on March 4th.

Willie Nelson was performing for an adoring crowd of 75,000, just days before Rodeo Houston shut down for the year.

"I told my husband, get me to the store so we can get the materials, the sewing machine," laughed Tanya Boike, who was at the show.

As the restrictions and closures piled up, Boike started making fabric masks.

She even found a new friend on Facebook.

Monica Cabazos is a nurse who started helping her get fabric and distribute the masks.

"I remembered about us as a community during Harvey and the flooding we've had. I said, everybody was helping each other," Cabazos explained.

Together, they've distributed more than 500 masks.

But, Boike started thinking back to the rodeo concert.

She had met Nelson's granddaughter, Noelle Ward, a few years ago, and decided to send a few masks to Nelson and his wife.

"They said, 'you know what, we're really good, we're already taken care of, but we would like to donate them or auction them off. How about we sign them and auction them off?'" explained Ward.

"I just lost it. That's not what I had made them for," Boike said. "This is going to be so amazing for these first responders and these critical care workers. These guys are going to be able to have a mask and not have to spend a fortune on them."

The money raised from auctioning off Willie's now autographed masks will go toward making more masks.

"Well, that's him. That's who he is. That's him every day," Ward said. "He's just relaxed, he's just giving, he's just got a great smile, and he's just the best."

If you need a mask, go here: http://www.houstonmaskmakers.com/

Nelson's signed masks go up for auction on Saturday, April 25th.

If you'd like to bid, go here: https://www.charityauctionstoday.com/auctions/FrontLine-Angels-11490