By Kristy Puchko | Social Media | July 16, 2020 |
By Kristy Puchko | Social Media | July 16, 2020 |
Actors who play superheroes in movies have joined forces to celebrate a real-life hero, six-year-old Bridger Walker, the boy who saved his little sister from a charging dog.
On July 9, the children were in the backyard of a friend’s house. There, a German shepherd mix ran at Bridger’s four-year-old sister.
As Bridger described it to his parents, “I stepped to the side in front of my sister so the dog wouldn’t get her. I kept moving so it couldn’t get past.”
The dog attacked, biting the boy on the left side of his face. He yelled to his sister, telling her to run. When the dog let go, Bridger rushed to her to make sure the four-year-old was OK. She was unharmed. He would require a 2-hour surgery and 90 stitches.
While in the emergency room, Bridger overheard the grown-ups talking about how the family who owned the dog decided it would be put down. His response was “I don’t want anything bad to happen to the dog.” Bridger has two dogs at home. Their names are Thor and Elektra.
When his father asked why Bridger threw himself before the charging dog, the boy’s response was, “If someone had to die, I thought it should be me.”
Following the incident, Bridger’s aunt, Nicole Walker, posted about him on Instagram. She shared pictures of the boy before the attacks and after his surgery, tagging several superhero-playing celebs with hopes they’d send words of encouragement during the boy’s recovery.
Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises) and Winston Duke (Black Panther) cheered him in Instagram posts, while Mark Ruffalo (Avengers), Brie Larson (Captain Marvel), and Robbie Amell (The Flash) replied to his aunt’s message with praise.
Another Instagram post revealed that Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Far From Home), Hugh Jackman (Logan), Zachary Levi (Shazam!), and the Russo brothers (Avengers: End Game helmers) reached out to the family in private messages.
Captain America: The First Avenger’s Chris Evans sent a video message to Bridger along with a promise of a special gift.
His aunt shared a reaction video on Instragram. In it, the boy wonder is dressed as Captain America as he watches the MCU’s Cap commend his heroics.
In the video, Evans says:
Hey, Bridger. Captain America here. How are you doing, buddy?
I read your story. I saw what you did. I’m sure you’ve heard a lot of this over the last couple of days, but let me be the next one to tell you: Pal, you’re a hero.
What you did was so brave, so selfless. Your sister is so lucky to have you as a big brother. Your parents must be so proud of you!
I’m going to track down your address, and I’m going to send you an authentic Captain America shield, because pal, you deserve it.
Keep being the man you are. We need people like you.
Hang in there. I know recovery might be tough, but—based on what I’ve seen—I don’t think there’s much that can slow you down. Bye buddy. (Salutes).
Afterward, Bridger says he feels “good.” His family begins to excitedly talk about what he can do with the shield, and his sister declares, “You can take it wherever you go!” To which Bridger patiently responds, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
This kid.
To see more of Bridger Walker and his sister, or to send him a piece of mail during his recovery, check out Nicole Noel Walker on Instagram.
The Walker family is not accepting donations and asks that instead those moved by their son’s story give to these charities: Mission 22, Operation Underground Railroad, and The Wounded Warrior Project.