WWII vet who was beaten, robbed in her home speaks out – and gives thanks

CHICAGO -- (WGN) -- 94-year-old Josephine Regnier is back home, still healing more than 10 days after she was beaten and robbed inside of her Garfield Ridge home.

Last week, prosecutors charged 26-year-old Olajuwan Claiborne with aggravated battery and robbery in the case. Surveillance video from Villa Rosa Pizza caught him crashing an SUV into a light pole and running off with her purse.

The case garnered attention across Chicago because of the outrageous nature of the crime, and the fact that Regnier is a WWII veteran who served in the U.S. Navy. She's received a lot of well-wishes from the community. Mayor Emanuel visited her, and the owner of the pizza parlor that caught Claiborne on camera put up $5,000 in reward money to find the culprit. And on Sunday Regnier was visited by military veterans who helped her sign up for membership in the American Legion and to thank her for her service.