Meet Houston's 'Metro' Man: From crash survivor to crosswalk guardian

Houston 'Metro': From crash survivor to crosswalk guardian

A 20-year-old Houston man has gone viral on social media for taking pedestrian safety into his own hands in the Montrose area. FOX 26's Mekenna Earnhart met "Metro" and spoke to pedestrians who say he's a big help on the roads.

HOUSTON - If you spend any time in Montrose on a weekend, you’ll likely see a young man in a bright neon vest, wielding hand-held lights and standing firm against a tide of Houston traffic. But, if you didn't know already, this man is not on the city payroll.

Meet ‘Metro’

Big picture view:

Davonta Robbins, 20 isn't a crossing guard for a school, and he isn't a TxDOT contractor. He is a volunteer who takes the bus from Spring every weekend just to stand at the corner of Montrose Boulevard and Westheimer Road.

"I try to do the best I can to make sure people cross the street safely," Robbins said. "We mostly have a lot of speeders... there have been a lot of accidents. I do this just because so nobody else won't get hit."

The mission is personal

The backstory:

For Robbins, the mission is personal. In August 2021, he was the victim of a police chase on Houston’s southeast side. A driver fleeing from officers struck him, leaving him hospitalized for months with a shattered leg that now requires a metal screw.

When he saw the high volume of foot traffic and the dangerous "blind curve" at the Montrose intersection, he decided to step in. He bought his own equipment, a vest and lights, and began conducting "tests" to see if cars would stop for him. When they didn't, he knew he had to stay.

"I have a lot of people that definitely appreciate it," Robbins said. "I've had drivers stop and say 'Thank you,' because other than that, they would have hit the pedestrians."

‘I’m glad he’s here’

What they're saying:

The community has noticed. Maria Rivera and Binna Tkaur, frequent visitors to the area, say Robbins' presence transforms the atmosphere of the intersection.

"It’s overwhelming because the cars go so fast," Rivera said. "I was scared because I almost got run over. I’m glad he’s here."

Robbins' dedication recently went viral after Marco Delgado, a driver who admitted he almost hit Robbins once before realizing what he was doing, posted a video of him on TikTok. That video has since gained over three million views.

"I saw him helping people cross the road and I thought it was a really nice job," Delgado said. "I found out he wasn't working for anyone, that he was just volunteering for himself."

Delgado was so moved that he started a GoFundMe to help Robbins buy a car. As of this week, the fund has raised over $5,000. 

For a man who currently relies on the bus and the occasional U-Haul rental to get to the spot where he helps people, the support is life-changing.

Despite the occasional angry driver, "Metro" says he has no plans to stop.

"Everybody has family they’re trying to get home to," Robbins said. "I’ll try to do the best I can to make sure everyone is safe.