Letters, Calls Lift Woman Raising Grandson

Viola Dees cried as she read the letters. There were more than 100 of them, all filled with words of support, some with money tucked inside.

Dees had never met any of the writers.

But they knew her from a recent article in The Times describing her efforts to raise her young grandson on her own, at age 86.

“I said, ‘Me oh my,’ ” commented Dees, who also received dozens of phone calls from people eager to help. “It made me feel so humble, so grateful to hear from everyone. I never will see some of these people, but here they are reaching out to me. It’s just amazing.”

Walter, 7, was born addicted to crack cocaine and lived in a foster home for five years until Dees won custody of him and changed his life.

One reader, a local judge, promised to buy Walter a computer. Yet another delivered a trumpet. Others brought clothes, shoes, books, school supplies and food to Dees and Walter, who live together on her meager income.

A Burbank restaurateur set up a trust fund in Walter’s name after reading his story, according to Public Counsel, a legal aid group that has assisted Dees.

“The article really brought me back to my own [abused] childhood,” the restaurateur said. “I never had a Viola in my life. I wanted to give Walter more of a chance.”