I read an incredible story in the news today about a high school boy and his road of recovery since a severe dog attack. The young man’s name is Shawn Jones. When Shawn was 10-years old, he saw his whole life change. One afternoon, Shawn was riding his bike, when a pack of three pit bulls attacked him. It was a brutal attack. They say that one pit bull’s jaw can exert as much pressure as 1,000 pounds per square inch, can you imagine the detrimental effects three of those jaw can bring?
The attacks left Shawn in the hospital with chunks of muscle torn out of his arm, nerves and muscles destroyed on both sides of his face, and both of his ears ripped off. The first several days were very uncertain, with Shawn hanging between life and death. In addition to his horrendous injuries directly from the dog attack, Shawn began having blood and other fluids leak into his lungs. The doctors were constantly in a battle to fight off bacteria and infection.
Luckily, after some time, Shawn began to show signs of improvement. He began to undergo reconstructive surgeries to repair the extensive damage done to his face and body. Shawn spent eleven months recovering in the hospital from his injuries.
Today, Shawn is a junior at high school. He plays football, wrestles and runs track. He is doing well in school, achieving a 3.5 grade point average. He has definitely had his struggles since his near-death incidence. But his determination and God’s hand has prevailed, bringing him through discouragement, bouts of depression and uncertainty. Shawn now speaks to victims of animal attacks at Children’s Hospital. He shares with them that there is hope and to pass along the understanding he has gained from his own six year recovery.
Shawn’s attack from those three pit bulls is one of the worst I have heard. But through it all, there is hope and there is life. Never let go of this, no matter what your situation may be. If you have ever suffered from a serious dog attack, please call me at the Law Offices of Moseley Collins. I am here to listen and to help.
To read the article on Shawn Jones, please click here.