She Lost Her Teenage Son in 2023. His Best Friend Still Shows Up Every Week to Watch Their Show Together (Exclusive)

• Erika Hernandez lost her youngest son, Jovan, in 2023.
• His best friend, Mali, hasn’t stopped visiting the house to spend time with Hernandez, despite Jovan's passing.
• She posted a video on TikTok sharing how Mali comes over every week to watch The Equalizer with her. The post now has 22.2 million views.

Erika Hernandez lost her youngest son, Jovan, in 2023 to gun violence. Processing the grief of losing her teenager was no easy feat, but she quickly learned she wouldn't be alone in the process. While her son may be gone, his best friend, Mali, frequently visits to spend time with her.

"My son, Jovan, was the youngest of my two boys, and from the moment he was born, it was clear he was one of a kind," Hernandez tells PEOPLE exclusively. "He danced to the beat of his own drum — completely free-spirited and full of life. It was as if he knew he had to make the most of every single moment."

"What truly made Jovan special was his ability to bring people together. Since he was little, he had this natural gift for making friends. I'd come home from work to find a driveway full of neighborhood kids — his 'Little Rascals,' as I called them," Hernandez recalls. "No matter where life took him, he never lost touch with the people he cared about."

Hernandez admits it took some time for Jovan and Mali to become friends. Their bond "wasn't instant," she says, but a good basketball game ultimately brought them together.

"That first game was all it took — basketball became their love language, and from that moment on, they were inseparable. Whether they were playing ball, making music, or just getting into something together, they always had each other's backs," Hernandez shares. "Mali was even the one who secretly taught Jovan how to drive — something I didn't find out about until after Jovan passed."

Jovan and Mali had a really special friendship and bond that lasted for years. They were friends for about seven years before Jovan's passing, but they had lifelong plans they'd intended to pursue.

"Their friendship ran deep. They had this dream of naming their future sons after each other so their kids could be friends, too," Hernandez says. "Even when life got busy, they made sure to stay close, meeting at our neighborhood country club to catch up and talk about life. Those two were a handful, but their shared passion and drive to push each other forward made it feel like they were long-lost brothers."

Mali was a frequent visitor of Hernandez's home before Jovan's passing, but in a video posted to TikTok, she revealed that all this time later, he shows up every week with his girlfriend to watch The Equalizer with her. Hernandez shares with PEOPLE about how this tradition came to be. 

"Mali has been coming to my house since he and Jovan became friends. Whether it was to play ball, get a haircut from Jovan, make music, or chill, my home — just like Mali's — was a second home. That never really changed," Hernandez shares. 

"After Jovan passed, Mali would randomly show up almost every day — no heads-up, no text, just there," Hernandez recalls. "I could be on a work Zoom call, and there he was outside the window, being his usual silly self, trying to get my attention. It got to the point where I'd text him, and instead of replying, he'd walk right in."

Eventually, Mali appeared when Hernandez was watching the season 5 finale of The Equalizer on TV.

"Of course, Mali showed up. He sat down, watched with me, and got totally hooked," Hernandez recounts. "Afterward, I mentioned that the earlier seasons were on Netflix and told him if he wanted to watch, he could come over — but he had to bring pizza."

After Jovan passed, Mali's visits increased significantly, Hernandez tells PEOPLE. Now, Mali and his girlfriend come over to Hernandez's house every week to watch The Equalizer with her. The video of the heartwarming tidbit has since been viewed more than 22.2 million times.

"Some people say his visits are a promise he made to Jovan — to watch over me if something ever happened to him — and that could very well be true," she continues. "What I truly believe is that I'm the only tangible connection Mali still has to my son. And as long as Mali wants me in his life, I'll always be here for him."

For those in her comments demanding that Mali get a house key, Hernandez is happy to report that he officially has one, giving him easier access to her home. She tells PEOPLE the response to her video has been overwhelmingly comforting, with many people sharing similar situations and experiences. 

"What really hit me, though, was seeing how many parents in situations similar to mine found comfort in this video. A lot of people shared how it helped them see loss and grief in a different light," she continues. "At the end of the day, that's what it's all about — finding healing and connection in the most unexpected places."

"Grief doesn't have a set timeline, and everyone experiences it differently. I have good days, challenging days, and days when it feels like the weight of the world is too much to carry," Hernandez shares. 

"What's helped me is putting myself and my healing first. The reality is I still have a son who needs me, and as hard as it is, it's so easy to get swallowed up by the pain and forget that there are people still here who depend on us. I also realized that if I want my son's legacy to continue, I have to keep moving forward in his honor."

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Hernandez remarks on how her video might impact others going through a similar situation or grieving. 

"There are millions of us walking this painful, unpredictable journey, and if even one person feels a little less alone because of something I've shared, then I know that my son's legacy lives on through all of us. It's a bittersweet feeling, but it gives me a sense of peace knowing that somehow, my loss is helping others."

"My relationship with all of my son's friends today is a reminder that family isn't just about blood—it's about the relationships we build, the love we share, and how we help each other heal," Hernandez confesses.