PHOENIX (CBS5) -
Nancy Rose is more of a giver than a taker. She spends her days behind the counter at a Queen Creek Subway, but the impact she makes goes way beyond the front door.
That's where our story began, when Nancy met Mari Fennell.
"By being a customer, hehehe. Kind of a regular," Fennell said.
Fennell and her husband have been customers for years and got to know the friendly manager behind the counter - a manager who became more of a friend when Fennell's son died a few months ago.
"When he died, three months ago, she gave of herself to donate sandwiches for his memorial and then, not only that, but she actually attended, she took off work," Fennell said.
It was a gesture that meant the world to a grieving family. Fennell's son, Joe, would have been 27 years old this year.
"His birthday was on Christmas Day," she said.
As you can imagine, it was a tough Christmas for Fennell's family, but Rose was hit by tragedy around the holidays too. Her home was robbed the day after Christmas while she was working.
"She comes home and there's nothing there. And it just totally blew us away. And we thought, well you know, maybe we should call Channel 5 and see if there's something that can be done because she did so much for us that we should Pay it Forward to her," Fennell said.
Which brings us back to that Subway, to Pay it Forward.
"You know how much you helped us with Joe and his memorial, and then I heard your house was robbed. But I'm Paying it Forward to you, here's $500 to help you," Fennell said to Rose.
"It's just wonderful. Mari's a good person," Rose said.
These are two women going through two very different tough times, brought together while placing an order for sandwiches but their final purchase is a lifelong friendship.
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