Chicago pizza delivery man recounts harrowing night robber shot and injured him
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Only on 2: A pizza delivery man is speaking out about his painful recovery after being shot during a robbery.
CBS 2's Shardaa Gray spoke to the man about what life is like now three months later.
"When you go out and see something suspicious, you automatically think something is going to happen to you."
Luis Rodriguez's mentality has been forever changed after he was shot during a robbery.
"It's hard. Once you go to bed, you cannot go to sleep because you rethink what happened," Rodriguez said.
On August 11th, the father of two teenage boys was working at Pizza Nova, near 79th and Pulaski in the Ashburn neighborhood. Chicago police say the suspect entered the restaurant around 9:00 p.m.
Rodriguez was waiting to deliver a pizza when the suspect walked in.
"This person came up to me asking me for money with a gun in his hand. He got mad because I didn't have any money on me. So he tried to hurt me," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said he tried to defend himself, and in that moment, that's when the suspect shot him in the leg.
"The bullet actually hit the bone right here."
After he was shot, he could only think of one thing.
"My kids. That's the only thing that could run through my head because he tried to shoot me in the chest and the first thing that came to mind was my kids," Rodriguez said.
The suspect was arrested and charged with attempted murder. Rodriguez said the robbery lasted about two minutes, but to him, it seemed like it was an eternity.
"When it happened, it really hurt a lot. He broke my bone. I don't remember the name of it, but I couldn't move at all. Not even get up from bed," Rodriguez said.
But after weeks in the hospital and many hours of therapy at home, he's able to get around with a cane.
"If I stand for more than 10-15 minutes, I still need help sometimes too. Either sit back down or get up, but I'm doing better than probably three weeks ago, four weeks ago," Rodriguez said.
He added that he's gotten over a big hurdle, being able to drive again and see his kids.
"They don't live with me, but they live close to me. Driving right now is a big plus. Like a big big plus."
Rodriguez said although he's able to get around, he still can't work. His doctor said he'll be able to work in about four months.
