Friends and relatives of a Stratford bartender who is recovering from a bullet wound from an armed robbery say he is recovering from a second surgery Wednesday night.

As News 12 has reported, an armed man entered Bar, a bar on Main Street, and demanded cash Tuesday. After Regi Woodard, the bartender, gave him money, police say the suspect shot him in the stomach and fled.

Friends say Woodard is a kind, comforting man.

Petra Peniastek says she was looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving with him and his family. She says she set up a GoFundMe page for him Wednesday.

"I hope he's going to be able to walk and function and go back to work," she says. "I just want to make sure he doesn't have to deal with any more stress, and you know, deal with medical bills."

Stratford police are asking anyone with information on the robbery to call them.