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HIGH POINT — Customers check the windows of Dragon City restaurant on Eastchester Drive almost daily, hoping to see lights on this time. But it’s been dark since a brutal robbery in July left owner Wang Xing in a coma.

When Cheryl Dobbins Nocera heard Xing’s story, she felt sick. She thought about his wife and three young daughters, and the mounting costs as he recovered at High Point Regional Hospital. So, she decided to set up the Lend-a-Hand for Wang Xing Fund and ask for contributions.

“The goal was to help the family financially, but also to show them that people aren’t all bad,” Nocera says. “I wanted to show them that in this community there are good people too; people who want to help their neighbors. I thought if people contributed, they could show what kind of people High Point really has.”

High Point didn’t disappoint her. To date the fund has received more than $10,000.

“It really overwhelms me,” Nocera says. “The fact that in this economy, when everyone is having so much trouble, we’ve all given this much — it’s just amazing.”

Nocera asked people to donate $5 — about the price of buying lunch — to an account at Southern Community Bank in High Point. An avalanche of donations ranged from $5 to $500.

That included the proceeds of an annual raffle at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in High Point. The raffle’s winner decided to donate all her winnings, too.

Xing continues to recover at home. His family speaks little English and hasn’t given interviews since the attack, which happened while the 39-year-old restaurant owner was making a delivery.

Residents joined police in canvassing neighborhoods and knocking on doors to get information after the attack. Two young men were arrested just days later and charged with the beating.

“He is recovering slowly, but very well,” said David Pan, a friend of Xing’s family.

“He is still very weak, but they are discussing reopening the restaurant in January but not offering deliveries.”

Pan said the family was touched by all of the donations and the support it has gotten from the people of High Point.

Nocera said the fund remains open until Nov. 25, when a check will be presented to the Xing family at the restaurant.

“I know it will feel good for them to receive our support,” Nocera said. “It touches my heart to know we live where so many people made it possible.”

Contact Joe Killian at 883-4422, Ext. 228, or joe.killian@news-record.com