In the animal kingdom, you don’t mess with mama bear.
And in Lake Jackson, Texas, it seems the rules are no different when it comes to human parents!
Phyllis Pena, a local mom, proved that her protective instincts are just as fierce when she turned a blood-boiling situation into an impromptu defensive lineman audition.
Her story shows just the lengths a mother will go to keep her children out of harm’s way.
On a crisp January morning, Pena came home from a routine trip to the store, only to find herself in a situation no parent ever expects.
She spotted a man peering into her 15-year-old daughter’s bedroom.
Thankfully, her daughter was elsewhere at the time.
Pena’s motherly instincts didn’t miss a beat.
“First instinct was just to make sure he didn’t go any further,” she told Click2Houston, reflecting on that pulse-quickening moment.
And oh boy, did she end up taking care of that.
With the calm clarity that sometimes comes in the eye of a storm, Pena called the police.
But the drama didn’t end with a phone call.
When the suspect, later identified as 19-year-old Zane Hawkins, tried to make a run for it, Pena did something extraordinary.
She stepped in and tackled him like a star athlete, a moment of sheer grit and grace caught on the police’s dashcam.
The alleged “peeping Tom” wasn’t about to get away from this mama.
In a scene that could have been straight out of a movie, Pena’s daughter rushed to her side, helping to hold the suspect down until the police could take over.
The officers on the scene were clearly moved by the duo’s bravery.
One officer even shared a moment of levity with Pena, saying, “The cop fist-bumped me and he was like, ‘Hey, so I heard the Texans are looking for a new linebacker.'”
Hawkins was taken into custody, facing a slew of charges, including possession of a controlled substance, evading arrest, and resisting arrest.
Sergeant Roy Welch of the Lake Jackson Police highlighted how unusual it is for someone to put themselves in danger to help catch a suspect, adding a note of respect for Pena’s courageous act.
Through it all, Pena’s thoughts were with her children, who knew of Hawkins but didn’t have a personal connection to him.
Her statement, “My kids are my life and just making sure I protect them,” resonates with the universal language of parental love.
Pena’s bravery was remarkable, and it’s a relief to know that she and her daughter were unharmed.
This momma has been eating her Wheaties, that’s for sure.
Her encounter with Hawkins shows just how strong her protective instincts are and how she’ll do anything to protect her “cubs.”
Many people have left entertaining comments like:
“I seriously could watch her tackle him over and over and over. Love it!”
Someone else wrote:
“That was a legitimate linebacker hit. She took it full on. Phyllis is the bomb 👊👊”
Check out the video below to see this mom go into the ultimate “mom mode” for yourself!
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