About

Hello,



My name is Wendy Blevins and on June 25th of 2008 my life changed forever. I would like to take a few moments of your time to tell you, allow you, to feel what my daughter and I went through on that day.

Here is my story. 

On June 25th I had gone to my friend Carly’s home to let my daughter play with her son Cade. It was such a nice day that we decided to go for a walk. About a month earlier I had gotten my daughter a Red Radio Flyer Wagon. We strapped the kids into the wagon and off we went.



We had only made it to the second block when as we were crossing the street we saw two women walking a considerably large dog. Neighter Carly or I knew it was a Pit Bull at the time, yet we both came to a dead stop in the middle of the street and blocked the children in the wagon with our bodies. Just taking a few steps one way or the other to stand in between the dog and our children. That’s when the dog just backed his head out of his collar and began walking, yes walking to us like any other curious dog would. As he started his walk the owner said “oh shit” and we knew.

We knew something was going to go really wrong. The dog got to about 4ft from us and just lunged.

The dog (Duke) grabbed a hold of the left side of Cades chest right over his little heart and did a thrashing motion and pulled the wagon over on its side. Carly was the closest to her son at that time and reached into get Cade from the wagon but he was belted in. In her attempt she was bitten on the hand. As the dog moved from Carly back to Cade I jumped in the middle. I blocked this dog from further biting him, but in doing so I left my baby girl wide open.

The dog just turned from me and grabbed a hold of my baby. I could not get between them fast enough.

The dog went right for her head. He managed to get her whole head in his mouth, but by the grace of God his teeth only caught on the back side of her head. Leaving only bruises on her face. As this dog pulled on my daughters head I watched her scalp get ripped away. Its odd the things that go through your head during these moments. “THIS IS NOT HAPPENING, NO, NO, NO, HER HEAD, HER HEAD, ITS GONE, OH MY GOD, ITS GONE, STOP, STOP, STOP, THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING, THIS IS NOT HAPPENING TO US!!!”

The dog took a “breather”, he let go for a split second to get a better grip the next time it seemed, and went back to pull the rest off. It all happened so fast, and at the same time it just kept going on and on. I threw my body over hers just as he was biting her shoulder. It seemed at that moment he was set on getting her out of the wagon. I managed to push/pull him away to the point where I could attempt getting my daughter out of the wagon. But she was strapped in and I was unable to release the belt.

The dog just kept trying to go back for more, more of my daughter, but with me blocking her I guess he decided I was just as good. He bit into my neck twice, missing my main artery by a fraction of an inch. This was another moment I remember thinking so very clear. “IS HE GOING TO BITE AND LET GO? OR WILL HE BITE AND RIP IT ALL OUT? THIS IS GOING TO HURT.” That’s what I thought. My hands were also bitten along with over my right eye.

After biting me a few times the dog paused a moment as he walked around the back side of the wagon. I jumped to my feet and followed. At this time Carly was attempting to get Cade from the wagon and the dog was headed right for them. I guess the best way to describe it is, I threw myself onto the dogs backside and took a hold of the nape of his neck fighting with him to keep him from going back for the children and Carly. There was so much blood coming from my neck at this time. It was just spraying on the dogs back as I fought with him. I held the dog yelling to Carly, “GET THE KIDS, GET THE KIDS AND GO, GO, GET THE KIDS NOW, RUN, GO!!!” She got the children free handing my daughter to the dog owners mother as she struggled to calm Cade.

As I held the dog looking up to see what was happening with the children I see the owner about 3ft in front of me with the leash. I’m yelling to her to get her dog, get the leash on her dog. After some time and me basically pulling the dog to her she slipped the leash over his neck. I realized it was going to be a matter of seconds before he was free again. This collar was not going to hold him. I looked up, saw the children were free of the wagon and a neighbor (Stefan Ray) was next to me with a pitchfork, I went for it.

I let go of the dog, ran to my daughter grabbed her from the woman and ran for our lives! I jumped a small fence with my daughter limp in my arms and covered in blood. I began banging on a house with no answer. My thought at this moment was “WERE GOING TO DIE! HES GOING TO COME AROUND THE HOUSE, AND WERE GOING TO DIE!” I went to another house where a man (Stefan Ray) answered and helped. Carly ran around to the back of the house and came inside. We waited for help to arrive.

As I walked out of Stefan’s house I looked down at my babies head and thought “HOW, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO FIX THIS? ITS SO BIG!”

Charlotte’s left ear was partially detached, split in half and punctured. She lost 1/3 of her scalp and has undergone 3 surgeries so far and will need more to stretch her scalp in order for her to be able to grow hair.

It has been just 1 year since the attack. My baby is an overall healthy little two year old. Despite the very large scar covering the backside of her head and a few scars on her arm and shoulder. So far she seems to be ok around dogs, if there quiet. When they bark you can see the scared look in her eyes as she clings to mommy or daddy. But she is a fighter and will continue to fight as we plan and proceed with the reconstructive phases of surgery she will begin having this fall.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.

Sincerely,

Charlotte’s Mommy