The beating struck so close to the heart of the neighborhood — two blocks from Seton, the neighborhood Catholic school for girls. And so brutal, leaving a tiny Korean grandmother fighting for her life on the floor of her neighborhood deli.

Bernard

        The assault on Chom Bernard has sparked a groundswell of support, creative fund-raising and a Sunday benefit in Price Hill.

        “We were just talking one night about how horrible this was, and how it happened so close to all of us,” said Jody Heavenrich. “We just said, "We should do something.' And everyone agreed.”

        She and a friend “sold” their Academy Street driveway to a Seton mother who knows how difficult it is to find parking on Elder High School football game nights. The deal: the woman shows up at the benefit Sunday with 25 guests who each pay $10 to get in, or she writes a $250 check that goes to the Bernard family. If neither happens, the driveway goes up for bid.

        They cooked up the deal one night at The Kohlhaus, the West Eighth Street bar where Herb Witte agreed to host the benefit. His reason for getting involved is about the same and as simple as everyone else's: “This is my neighborhood.”

An attack at Braun's Deli galvanized neighbors Lynn Thesing (left), Dan Lambers, Jody Heavenrich, Tina Martin and Melanie Martin to organize a fund-raiser. (Tony Jones photo) | ZOOM |

        They finalized plans last week in a meeting at Price Hill Chili.

        The site of the attack, Braun's Deli at Iliff Avenue and West Liberty Street, is now up for sale. The family could not bear to reopen the place where Mrs. Bernard, 57, was hit some 60 times in the Oct. 11 attack. As she lay unconscious on the floor, her assailant threw the cash register on her.

        “It was a brutal attack,” said Lt. Roger Wolf, commander of the Cincinnati Police Department's homicide unit, which investigated. “It was one of the worst I've ever seen.”

        Ivey Nixon, who lives near the deli, has been indicted on attempted aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and felonious assault charges.

        Mrs. Bernard is at Drake Center Inc. where she has begun to show slight improvement, said Lori Bernard, her sister-in-law. She mumbles a few words in what sounds like her native Korean, she appears to calm down when she hears the voice of her husband, Richard, and she walks a few steps with the help of therapists.

        “We're still praying and we're amazed that she's come this far,” her sister-in-law said.

        Another benefit organizer, Lynn Thesing, traveled the neighborhood asking businesses for help. Everywhere she went, people asked about Mrs. Bernard and they said the same thing — we can't believe this happened where we work and live.

        “There's a lot of good people in Price Hill,” Ms. Thesing said, “I would love for people to know that.”
       

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