In an incredible demonstration of courage and sibling love, six-year-old Bridger Walker saved his sister from a vicious dog attack. His love for his sister surpassed the fear of an attacking animal and he made a split-second decision. The story shared on his aunt Nicole Walker’s Instagram account has caught the attention of Hollywood celebrities as well.
How Did the Dog Attack Incident Happen?
The incident took place in Wyoming in the US. On July 9, Bridger and his sister were visiting a friend. While hanging out, they went to the backyard and saw two dogs. The friend pointed one out as a nice dog and the other one as a mean dog. At that moment, Bridger saw the mean one, a 1-year old German shepherd, run towards them.
Guessing that the dog was aiming to lunge at his sister, Bridger moved sideways in front of his sister. He kept repositioning himself so that the dog could not get past him to the baby girl. The animal ran at them and latched on to Bridger’s cheek.
Bridger said he first shouted for his sister to run. After the dog had released him, the brother rushed his sister to a safe part of the yard. The owner had secured the dog by then and reached out for help.
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Hey, all. Please, share my nephew’s story so that it gets as much exposure as it can. We know that our little hero would love some words of encouragement from his favorite heroes. On July 9th, my six year old nephew Bridger saved his little sister’s life by standing between her and a charging dog. After getting bit several times on the face and head, he grabbed his sister’s hand and ran with her to keep her safe. He later said, “If someone had to die, I thought it should be me.” After receiving 90 stitches (give or take) from a skilled plastic surgeon, he’s finally resting at home. We love our brave boy and want all the other superheroes to know about this latest hero who joined their ranks. @tomholland2013 @chrishemsworth @robertdowneyjr @markruffalo @prattprattpratt @twhiddleston @chadwickboseman @vindiesel @chrisevans EDIT: I just finished visiting with Bridger at his home. His wounds are looking so much better! He’s in great spirits, and his awesome personality is intact. He can’t smile too widely yet, but he was grinning as I read some of your comments to him. I’d also like to mention here that the dog’s owners are really great people who have been nothing but kind to Bridger and his family. We feel no resentment toward them at all, and—if anything—there’s only been an increase of love between our families as a result of this incident. EDIT 2: Once again we’re blown away by the amazing comments and messages that Bridger’s receiving. I’ve had lots of inquiries about a GoFundMe. Bridger’s family has asked that any one wishing to help out financially can, instead, donate to @mission_22 or @wwp. Bridger is also a huge fan of Science, especially Geology. So I’m going to start a post where people can share with him pictures of cool rocks that they see. EDIT 3: Once again, everyone’s kindness has meant so much to us. I’m trying to get to all of the messages that I can, but it may take some time. For those who have inquired about sending Bridger some rocks, here’s the address to use: Bridger Walker P.O. Box 22141 Cheyenne, WY 82003 #BridgerStrong
A post shared by Nikki Walker (@nicolenoelwalker) on
How did Bridger Survive the Dog Attack?
Image Source: Instagram/@nicolenoelwalker
Timely and effective medical help was what abetted harm. After Bridger was rushed to the hospital, the emergency medical staff took the boy to a curtained-off area immediately. He was put on IV before further procedure. That was the only time Bridger cried.
The dog attack left the little boy with a badly injured face. The medical team had to perform a two-hour-long surgery to seal up the mangled flesh. It left Bridger with 90 stitches on his left cheek. After that, he was sent home and he is recuperating fast.
Bridger’s aunt Nicole’s post says that he keeps his spirits high while he is recovering. The 90 stitches make it difficult for him to smile wide, but he grins happily when learning about the reaction and comments of people.
Nicole also states in the post that Bridger and his parents, Robert and Teila, love dogs. They have two dogs of their own. So, when the neighbour wanted the rogue dog put to sleep, Bridger objected to it. The family harbours no ill-feelings towards the dog or its owner. The two families have grown closer after this incident.
Bridger told his father that if the dog was going to kill someone, he preferred to die in place of his sister. This declaration is what made a fascinating story about this amazing little gentleman.
The High-Profile Appreciation
Bridger, who is a big Avengers’ fan, has garnered a lot of high-profile attention. Nicole’s page has attracted Hollywood bigwigs.
Actor Anne Hathaway says that though she isn’t an Avenger, she recognised a superhero in Bridger from protecting his sister from the dog attack. She tagged actor Mark Ruffalo, who plays Hulk, in her comment. She wished Bridger a speedy recovery and many cool rocks. Geology, particularly rocks, are a passion of Bridger, aunt Nicole said.
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Actor Chris Evans, who plays Captain America, praised Bridger’s gallant nerve. He even claimed that Bridger’s sister was lucky to have a brother like him and his parents must be proud of him. He promised to give Bridger a Captain America shield.
Shazam actor, Zachary Levi, hopes to shake his hand someday and offers Bridger honorary membership in ‘Shazamily’. Tom Holland, Hugh Jackman, Robbie Amell and the Russo brothers have also extended their admiration and support.
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Aunt Nicole’s posts and Bridger’s pluck has got tremendous positive response and wishes from the public. People wanted to fund Bridger, if possible. But his family has refused financial help. Instead, they are urging supporters to fund military veterans’ groups.
The only request from Bridger’s family is that supporters send in photos of unique rocks and rock collections. This would keep the hero happily engaged.
Lead image from Instagram/@nicolenoelwalker and Twitter/@BrandonDavisBD
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