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By MEGHAN MALLOY
Staff Writer

GARDINER $ Fun and surprises seemed to abound Wednesday as more than 400 people crowded the Gardiner Area High School gym to honor the Guerrette family at a benefit featuring music and comedy acts.

William Guerrette Jr., 48, and his 11-year-old daughter, Nicole, were the victims of a machete attack in their home May 27. Both are now out of the hospital and recovering.

Leo R. Hylton, 18, of Augusta has been the only person charged in connection with the attacks. His roommate, Daniel Fortune, 20, has been called a "potential suspect."

Hylton has been charged with four counts of aggravated attempted murder on the lives of the Guerrettes, as well as one count each of attempted murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit a robbery and burglary. He could spend the rest of his life in prison if he is convicted.

But for the crowd gathered at the high school Wednesday, the focus was on the Guerrettes.

People laughed along with Bob Marley, jammed with the Blake Brothers Band, and took turns honoring the family.

"I thought it would be nice to come, especially because it's for a good cause," said Linda Sommer, of Gardiner, who came to the benefit with friend Deborah Gagne, of Pittston.

Neither woman knows the Guerrettes but felt compelled to show their support. "We wanted to support the healing of this family," Gagne said.

George and Mary Maxwell have tried to show their support for the Guerrette family since the tragedy by participating in bottle drives and showing support in any way they could.

Like Sommer and Gagne, the Maxwells, of Gardiner, have never met the Guerrettes.

"We wanted, first of all, to support these folks," George Maxwell said. "It's terrible that something like this happened, especially in Maine. This benefit gives all of us a chance to come together and say, 'We don't have to stand for crap like this.' "

One of the greatest surprises for the attendees was seeing the Guerrette family themselves, who arrived a half hour prior to the event.

The family, including all four of William and Melanie Guerrette's children, were greeted by deafening applause and cheering. The family then spent a half hour hugging and talking to friends they had been unable to see in months.

"The best thing to happen to us since this horrible thing happened is the support we've had from all of you," William Guerrette III, the couple's oldest child, told the crowd before the benefit started. "We would like to thank all of you."

Attendees ranged from longtime friends of the family to the medical team that first arrived at the
Guerrette property in the early morning hours of May 27, to people who had never met the family.

"I am so happy I could finally personally thank all the people I could here," William Guerrette Jr. said.

His wife, Melanie, looked around at the crowded gym and said, "I'm shocked. I am just shocked."

For some attendees, the benefit was a personal matter, especially for girls who cheer at school with Nicole and Ashley Guerrette.

Twenty-five girls from Gardiner's competition squad came to the family benefit to give a short performance and see the family, especially Ashley Guerrette, 15, and her sister, who friends and family affectionately call "Nikki."

"Their family is our family," cheer coach Jen Moody said.

The cheerleaders have held rallies, made gift baskets and threw a birthday party for Nicole, who turned 11 in June.

"It's brought us closer," Moody's 13 year-old daughter, Michaela Moody, said, as other squad members nodded emphatically.

The benefit, emceed by radio personality Jon James, kicked off with a 45-minute set by Bob Marley, a nationally-known Maine-born comedian famous for his New England-themed humor. The Blake Brothers Band took to the stage after raffle winners were announced. A woman who won a monetary prize donated the money back to the Guerrettes.

The benefit concert was organized by friends of the Guerrette family, including Bruce and Lynn McInnis, who arranged for the Blake Brothers Band and Bob Marley to entertain guests.

The benefit Wednesday night raised more than $17,000.

Meghan V. Malloy $ 623-3811 Ext. 431
mmalloy@centralmaine.com