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Almost $6k raised for brutalized Powhatan teacher who faces long recovery

Posted at 11:23 PM, Mar 12, 2012
and last updated 2012-03-29 21:19:56-04

UPDATE March 29: Nicole Norman writes in that  $5,906 was raised during the Mary Anderson Road to Recovery Fundraiser.

Norman wanted to say thank you to those who supported the event and for the generous donations made by individuals & businesses!

CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WTVR) The Road to the Final Four will help Mary Anderson with her road to recovery.

Mulligan’s Sports Bar and Grille on the Southside collected $10 per bracket, on top of other fund-raising efforts to help the Powhatan Special Education teacher who was savagely beaten inside her own home.

The attack left her with bank-draining medical bills, so Monday’s event was an effort to help her settle her accounts.

“The medical bills are stacking up,” said Mulligan’s owner Carla Latora.  “It's going to be a long road back and she needs to rebuild her life."

Latora says it’s something they wanted to do, because Mary’s daughter Stacy  is one of their most valued customers

“When we found out it was her mother, we knew immediately," said Latora.

Anderson was inside her Powhatan home January 25th when deputies say James Wolfe, Sr, kicked in her door.

Investigators say he randomly chose her house, and proceeded to rob and beat her for six dollars, before forcing her to withdraw $400 more at a nearby ATM.  Deputies say he also set fire to her home.

“We couldn't believe it happened to someone we were so close to," said Nicole Norman, who along with her sister Lisa were some of Anderson’s friends who attended the benefit.

Since the January attack, Anderson has not returned home.  She’s now living with her brother as she continues her recovery.  "She won't ever return there," said Lisa Norman.

Friends and family are helping the Special Ed teacher, but they know they can’t replace everything.  Some memories were burned the fire and her sense of trust and security is an everyday struggle..

“Everything she lost was years of memories, of photographs, and the recovery period will take months if not years," said Lisa Norman.

But these friends and supports hope to help that along.  And just 15 minutes into the fundraiser Latora announced $630 had already been collected.