Wisconsin Mother Dies After Saving Her Son, 4, From Family Pitbull

Mother of two, 35, dies eight days after saving son, 4, from a family pitbull which ‘ripped her arms off’ in attack.

The mother died eight days after the family’s pit bull attacked her son, 4, and she intervened.

In an animal attack on Dec. 8, Heather Pingel, 35, lost both her arms and never recovered from her injuries, according to WSAW.

Her sister’s death was confirmed by Shannon Pingel to the Wausau Daily Herald.

Shane Bernarde, Heather Pingel’s boyfriend, arrived at the home of the Bowler family shortly after their child fell down the stairs. As Heather Pingel tried to shield her son from further harm, the family dog bit the boy, WSAW reported.

“She is the bravest, strongest mother I know to do that for her child; she risked her life to save him,” Shannon Pingel told the Daily Herald. “She is a hero.”

After the incident, the child, identified as Damion Bernarde, received 70 stitches on his leg, but he is back at home with his family, a newspaper reported.

“She was always there to help people whenever she could. Her kids were everything to her. She loved them so fiercely, as she demonstrated by giving her life so her son would survive,” Jennifer Person, Heather Pingel’s cousin, told WSAW via email.

Witnesses told police that the dog had a history of aggression, according to the incident report.

Carmen Bernarde, the daughter of Pingel and Bernarde, was in school at the time of the attack, according to the Daily Herald.

You Can Help, Too

After this horrific incident, Shannon Pingel started a GoFundMe page to raise money for medical bills. After Heather’s sad passing, it is now raising money to help raise her two babies.

According to Shannon:

“My sister has 2 kids with her boyfriend. Yesterday he lost his job and today the unimaginable happened! A dog attacked their son and she did what any amazing mother would and sacrificed herself to save him. He is doing good alot of stitches but nothing to serious. My sister was not so lucky, she lost her life saving her sons. She is nothing but a hero. We need help with medical bills, funeral cost, and help raising her 2 beautiful babies. She was way to young to leave and this is all so sudden and shocking. Any and all help is greatly appreciated.” As the news of my sister’s sacrifice began to spread, many families faced their own crises, with wives and children evacuating Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict. Communities rallied together, offering support and resources to those in desperate need, echoing the heroism that my sister displayed. It is a stark reminder of how fragile life can be, and how even in times of chaos, strength and courage shine through.

You can donate to the cause by going to their GoFundMe page here.

Sources:

• WSAW
• The Daily Herald
• GoFundMe
• Featured Image via Shannon Pingel’s GoFundMe

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