Bryan Tecun's heroism helped police catch the robbery suspect.
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But it also sent him to the hospital and forced him to shut down his business.
The incident happened early last Sunday morning near Broadway and Pine in Long Beach where Tecun operates his food truck, Bryan's Birrieria.
He saw an injured woman who appeared to be in distress.
"I asked her what happened," he recalled. "She told me she had been assaulted and the fella down the street had stolen her belongings and her cell phone."
He hopped in his food truck and drove after the robber, catching up to him near Lincoln Park.
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He struggled with the robber and got the woman's cellphone back. Police soon arrived and took the suspect into custody.
Bryan felt some pain afterward - but had no idea he'd been stabbed.
"During the brief scuffle I felt like maybe I had dislocated my shoulder," he said. "I really didn't think too much of it."
But it started hurting more and more and soon he was in the hospital, learning he had been stabbed in the torso and shoulder, suffering a punctured lung.
He spent three days in the hospital and doctors say it could take him weeks at home to recover.
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In the meantime, his truck remains closed and his employees are out of work.
"We're a small business so this is our only source of income," he says. "This is what my family depends on and what my employees' families depend on as well."
A GoFundMe has been established to help Bryan with medical bills and other expenses while he recovers.
"I really don't think I am a hero. If I see something I'm going to do something. It's just the way we were brought up."
Long Beach police identified the suspect as Alexander Pierson, 29, of Los Angeles. He was arrested for robbery, with bail set at $75,000. They are asking anyone with information to call LBPD at (562)435-6711.