Eight-year-old Nicholas Chitwood is a hero who’s more courageous than most adults. His mother, Rebecca, received a phone call few parents ever want to have. Per WNEM 5, Rebecca was told her six-year-old daughter, Lillian, had been attacked by a dog. “To me, that could mean anything. It could be a couple of puncture wounds, it could be what she’s experiencing now, it could’ve been even worse.”
Rebecca’s kids were at their grandparents’ house, playing in the backyard. Tragically, the neighbor’s dog gained access to the backyard where it started biting at Lillian’s face. “There was like a slice on her neck and it was about three centimeters from severing the artery. And then she has the cut here or the bite here that went all the way down on her face,” Rebecca recounted.
Nicholas quickly rushed to help his sister. He started kicking the dog, making sure his sister was out of harm’s way and safe. “I didn’t want her to die,” Nicholas clarified.
“It was hard, but I’m thankful for my brother to help me. ‘Cause if he wouldn’t, I would be dead by now,” Lillian said.
During the two days following the attack, Lillian was in a lot of pain but recovering. The dog attack reportedly caused her numerous near-fatal wounds. Doctors said there would be extensive nerve damage, and beyond that, it’s hard to tell what other long-term effects could occur.
A Brave Eight-Year-Old Saves His Sister From A Near-Fatal Dog Attack
A GoFundMe page has been created for Lillian. (Be warned, though. There’s a graphic image of Lillian’s injuries.) The page encourages donations to cover medical bills and time off of work to tend to her.
“On June 30, my 6-year-old daughter was at grandma and grandpa’s house innocently playing in their backyard. When the neighbor’s pitbull got out of their fence and came and attacked my daughter. The dog was NOT provoked. I found out that the owners did not have renters insurance and are refusing to help with anything.
“The road ahead for my daughter is going to be a long one. … This will require time off of work. And numerous medical bills for who knows how long, not to mention the mental aspect of this traumatizing experience for my baby girl! Any and all donations are much appreciated.”
Alice J. Roden started working for Trending Insurance News at the end of 2021. Alice grew up in Salt Lake City, UT. A writer with a vast insurance industry background Alice has help with several of the biggest insurance companies. Before joining Trending Insurance News, Alice briefly worked as a freelance journalist for several radio stations. She covers home, renters and other property insurance stories.