North Central College friends help Chicago attack victim

Alumni and staff members from Naperville's North Central College mobilized to help one of their own on Saturday, holding a fundraiser for Stacy Starl Jurich, one of the two women beaten in a brutal baseball-bat attack in Chicago in April.

The fundraiser was held form noon to 4 p.m. at BlackFinn American Saloon in downtown Naperville. Proceeds from the event, which included a raffle and silent auction, will help Jurich with her medical expenses.

Jurich, who graduated from North Central College in 2008, continues to deal with the physical effects of the beating, which put her in the hospital for three weeks.

"No one knows what the future holds for her in terms of rehabilitation from this," said Nicole McLain, a good friend of Jurich's and a fellow North Central College alumna. "That's why we wanted to hold this."

The beating occurred in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood, as Jurich, 24, and her friend, 23-year-old Natasha McShane, enjoyed a night out to celebrate McShane's new internship. The two women were robbed and beaten with a bat. Both suffered severe injuries. Two people are facing attempted murder, armed robbery and other charges in the attack.

"It was so terrible," McLain said. "I hadn't heard from her that day, and then another friend of ours called me to tell me what happened. I couldn't believe it."

Jurich and McShane continue to recover from their injuries. Jurich attended Saturday's fundraiser but declined to comment.

Chris Stull, a 1985 graduate of North Central College, feels a connection to both women. He went to the same school as Jurich and grew up in the same county as McShane, a graduate student originally from Northern Ireland. Stull and his organization, the not-for-profit West Suburban Irish, helped out with Saturday's fundraiser.

"The Irish community has really rallied together for Natasha McShane and her family, but we also want to do what we can for Stacy," he said.

Adrian Aldrich, director of alumni relations at North Central College, said Saturday afternoon that he was pleased with the turnout in the early going. Saturday's event was just the latest in a series of fundraisers that have been held in the Chicago area since the April 23 attack.