Dog - Sister
Bridger Walker, 6, with his 4-year-old sister in a family photo posted on Instagram. Bridger required 90 stitches in his left cheek after saving his sister from a charging dog on July 9. Photo; Instagram // Nikki Walker

WYOMING — On July 9, a six-year-old Cheyenne boy, Bridger Walker, saved his little sister’s life by standing between her and a charging dog. The heartfelt story quickly went viral on social media after his aunt, Nikki Walker, posted about the event on Instagram.

“After getting bit several times on the face and head, he grabbed his sister’s hand and ran with her to keep her safe,” Nikki said in her post. He required 90 stitches to his left cheek and is still recovering.

Nikki mentioned that the dog’s owners are “really great people who have been nothing but kind to Bridger and his family.”

“If someone had to die, I thought it should be me,” Bridger said after the incident according to Nikki.

Encouraged by his bravery, Nikki wanted to give her nephew some comfort and confidence by sharing his story and a picture of him and his younger sister on her Instagram page. On the post, Nikki asked others to leave supportive comments and help spread his story.

 

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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

The brave actions that Bridger took that day have not been going unnoticed. Bridger’s story became national news when Newsweek reported on the incident. The post has been liked over 1.2 million times, with 37k comments as of July 16.

Chris Evans, the actor who plays Captain America, reached out to Bridger who is a diehard Avengers fan. “Pal, you’re a hero,” Evans said. “What you did is so brave, so selfless, your sister is so lucky to have you as a big brother.”

Evans told Bridger that he would be sending him an authentic Captain America shield for his bravery.

Bridger also received support from celebrity and actress, Anne Hathaway on Instagram. “I’m not an Avenger, but I know a superhero when I see one. I can only hope I’m half as brave in my life as you are in yours, Bridger,” Hathaway wrote.

“He’s in great spirits, and his awesome personality is intact,” his aunt said. “He can’t smile too widely yet, but he was grinning as I read some of your comments to him.”

Jacob Gore was born and raised in Cheyenne, the capital city of Wyoming. As a proud Wyomingite, he loves to share his home with visitors from around the world. Spending years in Jackson and Alaska as an interpretive nature guide, he remains a photographer, traveler, storyteller, and avid hobbyist of all-things outdoors. Jacob enjoys bridging the connection between Jackson and the rest of the state.