HOUSTON – Guadalupe Rojas has worked with Subway for six years. Whether in English or Spanish, she builds to please for the constant stream of customers that walk through her sandwich shop's front doors.
However, on Sept. 22, the bitter taste of crime was served at her store along Westheimer. "It happened all suddenly," according to Rojas.
In a flash, two men jumped over her counter and attempted to rob her store. Rojas admits, “I don’t know how I got the courage to do what I did."
What Rojas did was grab a box cutter and hold her ground. The 44-year-old, who stands 4 feet, 9 inches tall, refused to turn over her store’s money.
VIDEO: Subway robbery surveillance video
When asked if this was within her nature, Rojas says, "You could say that.”
Rojas' defensive skills only lasted so long before one of the perps struck her over the head with a pan and then several knuckle sandwiches. She admitted to Channel 2 she never feared for her life. "No I didn’t think about that.”
Probably because Rojas was too busy fighting the man she ended up slashing.
When asked what this taught her, she said, "It taught me that I had to defend my family, because that is how I feel, that Subway is my family.”
Rojas is a grandmother of nine, to boot. When informed taking on the two men makes her arguably the toughest abuela in all of Houston, Rojas asked, "That’s good, huh?”
Channel 2 spoke with two of Rojas’ daughters about her crimefighting skills. "I was shocked to see my mom in that way," said Aurelia Mejia.
Both were clearly happy to see their mother receive recognition. "Super proud, yes," said Edith Mejia.
It was during this moment in our interview when this tough grandmother melted with emotion. She never realized how much standing her ground at the place she loves impacted those who love her. "No not really.”
Rojas told Channel 2 she did not receive a raise for her actions, but she did get more hours.
The Houston Police Department’s Robbery Division and Crime Stoppers is asking for the public's help identifying the men responsible for the aggravated robbery.
Mario Diaz shared this heartwarming story about this report. Watch it below.
(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1version=v3.2'; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
So a few minutes ago... I walk into the newsroom and I learn that my report on the abuela who fought off a pair of robbers has been receiving a lot of interest this morning. Thank you if you have clicked on the story: https://www.click2houston.com/news/toughest-grandmother-in-houston-subway-worker-abuela-to-9-slashes-robber It really is a heck of a tale and I’ve been loving the references to the “chancletazos” in some of the online comments. On a personal note, there was a story behind the story that my colleagues have asked me to share. I told the woman in the story about it last night... I told one of my dearest friends this morning about it too... and after you take a look you might understand as to why I think I’ll have subway for lunch today....
Posted by KPRC2 Mario Diaz on Thursday, December 20, 2018