The San Antonio community is mourning a longtime H-E-B store manager who worked with the company for over two decades.
According to social media posts, a manager named Rashad Chance, who worked at the store at Babcock Road and Huebner Road, died on Monday, August 10. One Facebook user named Joshua Rivera said EMS was called to the store around 9:45 p.m. that night and posted a video of emergency vehicles crowding the front of the store. MySA confirmed with the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s office that the death was due to natural causes related to a cardiovascular event.
“I had very few personal interactions with Rashad, but it was always a joy to see him there working,” Rivera wrote. “If you regularly shopped at that H-E-B, you probably saw what I saw: a manager who wasn’t afraid to get out there and work right alongside his employees.”
He continued, telling a recent story about Chance helping him check out with his groceries faster after noticing he was in a rush. “It was such a small interaction, but I remember walking away thinking, ‘Wow, this guy really cares about his job.’ More than that, you could tell he cared about the people and the community he served,” he said.
Dozens of commenters under Rivera’s post shared their own stories and condolences. In another Facebook post, a user named Dermon Smith said, “My guy Rashad rest easy man,” and tons of comments poured in from customers, locals and former coworkers, saying “he was always so helpful, funny and supportive.” Other posts reminisced on being track and field teammates, saying, “not one time ever did you ever let me or your team down.”
A Facebook user named Anthony Gomez, who seemed to be a coworker of Chance’s, wrote, “Rest in peace Rashad, you were one of the best reasons to show up to work for. You made our lives a better place by being in it. It’s so hard to think about how you won’t be here anymore, I won’t see your smiling face, I won’t have my partner in crime. I’m so upset that all I can do is ramble on and on… but it’ll never be the same without you.”
In a statement to MySA, a spokesperson for H-E-B said, “Rashad was a valued H-E-B Partner for 23 years and made a lasting impression on his community and the people he worked with. The many stories being shared by his fellow Partners, friends, customers, and members of the community reflect how deeply he was loved. Our H-E-B family continues to grieve this heartbreaking loss, and our thoughts remain with Rashad’s family, loved ones, and our Partners during this extraordinarily difficult time.”