12-Year-Old Michigan Boy Gets Mauled After Throwing Himself in Path of Charging Dogs to Save His Siblings

On Monday afternoon, 12-year-old Deacon Ashmore of Detroit proved his love for others and his bravery in the face of danger.

Deacon, his three siblings and some neighbor kids were playing outside when two pit bulls appeared and charged at the group of children, according to People. Deacon immediately put himself between the dogs and the rest of the kids, giving them time to run for cover.

“Then next thing I knew, I saw these dogs come out of nowhere and they, they like bit my leg,” Deacon told WJBK-TV.

“They got me back, like, behind my leg.”

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His left calf was left in tatters where one dog shredded through the muscle. It was a shock to his parents.

“Deacon came hobbling in, and I, I just — there was like chunks of skin falling off of him and the blood was everywhere,” his mom, Elisabeth Ashmore, said.

He was taken to Detroit Children’s Hospital of Michigan where he had surgery to repair his leg. According to dad Peter Ashmore, it was a blessing that the tendons and ligaments seemed to be intact despite the horrifying appearance of the calf.

“You know, the biggest concern was, you know, ligament and tendon damage,” Peter explained. “We were really grateful, God was really good, because you think about it like on your calf, I mean your Achilles is right there.”