Prayer vigil held for victims of home invasion

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Over 100 friends and neighbors of a couple attacked in their home in Raleigh's Oakwood neighborhood held a prayer vigil Wednesday evening.

The wife was sexually assaulted and her husband was shot and paralyzed in the terrifying ordeal Monday morning.

"When one person or, you know, a family is affected, we all feel it," said Oakwood resident Diane Deresienski.

The couple awoke early Monday morning to find two armed men in their bedroom demanding valuables. When one of the men took the wife to another room and sexually assaulted her, the husband fought and suffered a gunshot to his back that could leave him paralyzed.

"One of the reasons they caught the men was that the neighbors came out quickly and they got information," said Oakwood resident Sara Stohler.

Neighbors said that type of vigilance, more prayer and even more time will help them heal.

"It will take time, but we'll do it together as a group," said the president of the Society for the Preservation of Historic Oakwood, Barry Kitchener.

Neighbors even pitched in to help clean the couple's home following the attack.

The neighborhood association will have its regular meeting Thursday evening. ABC11 has learned Raleigh police will be a part of the meeting.

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