Residents turn out to support Brookline gas station owner

Landau said he was angry that media reports naming Audy and his business may have hurt his reputation.

"I've been to his house many times. He's been to mine," Landau said. "It's important to stand behind him. All he did was hire a man for a short period of time. He didn't do anything wrong, and all these people who support him know that."

Audy said he could have opened the station as soon as FBI agents left Thursday, but he chose to stay closed until today because of all the media attention. He said FBI agents did not take anything that would prevent him from running his business.

"They were very good" as far as respect for the property, he said.

He said he wasn't aware at all of any money-exchange activities by one of his employees. "It's not from here," he said. The Globe reports today that an informal money-exchange network known as "hawala" is at the center into the investigation of three Pakistanis, including one who worked at the gas station, who were arrested Thursday in Massachusetts and Maine.

Wanda Reindorf, who lives a few blocks away, embraced Audy and his family.

"We call him the snow fairy," she said. "Whenever there's a heavy snow, he brings his little truck with the snowplow, and he shovels us out. And he's never charged us once in 10 years."

There were dozens more stories like that, as residents brought their children and decorated signs to show their support. Brookline Public Library Trustee Roberta Winitzer proudly remembered one time when Audy provided badly needed audiovisual equipment for a library program.

"I think this is quintessential Brookline. This is us supporting our neighbors. This is about not painting people with broad strokes," said Brookline Selectwoman Jesse Mermell. "Brookline supports people who support Brookline, and nobody supports Brookline more than the Audy family."

Law enforcement authorities have been clear that they do not suspect Audy of any wrongdoing.

Audy, a Lebanese-American, emigrated in the 1960s, shortly after his brother, Bill, came over. The brothers poured their lives' savings into the gas station business.

Elias Audy has stood out as a civic leader for decades, known for donating to schools and helping the local public library. Audy and his wife, Laurde, have raised three children here, Omar, 35, Emad, 29, and Zana, 25.

Zana Audy attended Northeastern University for the past eight years. She received her undergraduate degree in accounting, and she just wrapped up law school here.

"It's hard to be in the spotlight, but I think we're just trying to live our lives normally," Zana Audy said. "I think that's why we appreciate all this support. It made us feel like we're not alone."

Surrounded by family members, Zana said her parents each have five siblings, with children and grandchildren, who all live in the area.

One of the organizers of the rally was Hsiu-Lan Chang, owner of FastFrame in Washington Square.

"I thought this would be a great way to thank him -- he who has given so much to our community over the decades," Chang said. "When a man has built a reputation over 30 years with his family, through hard work and giving back to the community, we have to show him that we appreciate everything that he's done."

Patricia Wen of the Globe staff contributed to this report.