A six-year-old boy who sustained horrific facial injuries in a dog attack from which he was saving his sister, has shown off his five-month recovery.
Bridger Walker from Cheyenne, Wyoming, received 90 stitches following the incident which took place last July. He was also left with a large scar on his left cheek.
Bridger had stood in the way of the dog that ended up attacking him when it came running in the direction of his four-year-old sister. His incredible story became viral after his aunt, Nikki Walker shared it on Instagram.
She wrote:
"My nephew is a hero who saved his little sister from an attacking dog. He, himself, took on the attack so that the dog wouldn’t get his sister. He later said, 'If someone was going to die, I thought it should be me.'
"He got home from the hospital last night. I know it’s a long shot, but I’m reaching out to the Avengers and other heroes so that they can learn about this latest addition to their ranks.
"Please, check your DM’s for my sweet nephew’s story."
In the wake of the post, many members of the Avengers cast, including Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evans, praised the young boy's selflessness.
It has now been over five months since the attack, and last month, the six-year-old's dad Robert Walker posted photos of Bridger's healing face, describing his progress as "nothing short of miraculous".
"Bridger has now had three laser treatments, and at his last treatment he also had a steroid injection to help with some of the tightness," he wrote in a caption accompanying a set of striking before and after photos.
"Bridger has full sensation, does not have any drooping, and has not lost any muscle control," he continued. "We have gone from genuinely wondering whether he would ever smile again to hardly noticing his scars."
The young boy's scars have been given the best opportunity to heal thanks to the help of several dermatology experts including Dr. Dhaval Bhanusali, Dr. Cory B. Maughan, and Dr. Sandra Lee (also known as Dr. Pimple Popper).
These top skin experts have been treating Bridger pro bono after learning about the awful attack when it made headlines last year.
"We are so very grateful for what @drbhanusali and @corymaughan have been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time," Robert said, explaining that his son has remained "shy" around dogs but is "slowly getting over his fears".
In a more recent set of snaps posted in January 2, Bridger looks happy posing with the family’s new puppy, Loki.
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