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Meanwhile, Steve Chavez heard what happened and began talking to Romero’s managers. Chavez is the CEO of SC3 International, which owns Mechanical Control Solutions, the Aperture Center at Mesa del Sol and several other businesses.

“They said, ‘If we could clone her, we would,’ ” he said. “She’s everything we train our employees to be, and she’s just a good person on top of that.”

Chavez said he grew up in Grants under “very humble circumstances” and feels that it’s important to give back when he can.

A few hours later, Romero received the second major shock of the day: Chavez escorted her outside and presented her with a white, 2017 Chevrolet Spark, decorated with a large red bow.

“Some people were filming; others were crying,” she said. “He told me to take it for a test drive, and I made it around the corner before I started crying.”

Chavez said he gave the car to Romero without any strings attached so she wouldn’t feel obligated to stay with the company because of the gift.

But Romero says that she already had plans to stay at the company long-term before Chavez gave her the car and that Chavez’s gesture confirmed that she was making the right choice.

“He’s somebody you want to work for,” she said.