Ask anyone who knows Donna Jones about what she’s like and they’re sure to mention one standout trait.
“She always has a smile on her face,” said Stephanie Cape, her boss and friend. “In any situation, she always sees the bright side of it.”
It’s a remarkable show of strength from a woman who’s had plenty of reasons not to smile.
In 2013, her teenage son, Jaquis, died in a drowning accident. Then earlier this year, she learned the breast cancer she’d fought so hard to beat several years ago had returned.
“My daughter and my son – I keep a smile on my face because I know that they need their mom,” said Jones.
Her co-workers at the Sweet Tomatoes restaurant in Arlington say they need her, too. And when she was dealt this latest blow, they decided to take action.
“We’re a family,” said Cape. “So we wanted to do anything we could do to help out our family member.”
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The restaurant, located on Matlock Road just north of I-20, is giving Jones 100 percent of its sales Thursday to help her pay for her medical bills.
“I cried [when I found out],” said Jones. “I thanked God.”
Jones and her family stopped by the restaurant Thursday afternoon to thank her co-workers and everyone who was eating there. That included Sweet Tomatoes’ CEO John Morberg, who flew into Texas from California to show his support.
“We want her back,” said Morberg. “We want her to recover. With all her fans here, that’s great for us.”
Jones says she’s now more determined than ever to fight her cancer and win.
“Having that support from them – how can I not beat it?” said Jones.
Sweet Tomatoes is open until 9:00 p.m. Thursday.
Anyone who can’t make it out, but wants to help can make on an online donation on the GoFundMe page her co-workers also set up.
