By the time the summer heat began to settle over Fort Worth, Carlos Rodriguez could barely walk. The man behind the counter at Fuego Burger — a small, beloved joint on Benbrook Boulevard known for its famed fiery namesake burger — had spent the last few weeks recovering from something far worse than a kitchen accident. In May, three men walked into the restaurant and allegedly left him battered on the floor.
Since then, Rodriguez and his wife Christie have been holding the place together the only way they know how — by cooking through it. With their son Alex by their side and a loyal community showing up in force, the family has kept the grill going. But behind the counter, there are sleepless nights, mounting medical bills, and the kind of pain that lingers long after the bruises fade.
“I can’t run food. I can’t help them cook or clean or anything,” Rodriguez says. “I sit here and answer the phone. That’s all I can do right now.”…