Girl, 5, Almost Lost Her Hand in Brutal Dog Attack, Father Injured Saving Her Life: ‘A Terrifying Ordeal’

A 5-year-old girl almost lost her hand in a brutal dog attack — and her father was injured saving her life.

The incident occurred on Monday, Jan. 5, according to a GoFundMe established by the girl’s aunt, Sizakele Irvin, on behalf of the family.

“Monday night, my 5-year-old niece Jazz experienced something no child should ever have to face. She was attacked by a dog, and in the chaos, her father Phil bravely intervened to save her, suffering bites himself,” Irvin wrote on the fundraising page.

“The injuries to Jazz were so severe that she was airlifted to a larger hospital several towns away, where she underwent emergency vascular surgery. Her surgery team was ultimately able to save her hand, which was nearly lost in the attack,” she continued.

She added that surgeons used a vein from Jazz’s leg to restore blood flow to her hand in the emergency surgery. 

“This has been a terrifying and life-changing ordeal for Jazz and her family,” Irvin wrote. “The road ahead will be long, with mounting medical bills, ongoing recovery therapy, and the need for my sister to take family leave from work to care for Jazz. These costs are overwhelming, and the emotional toll is just as heavy.”

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As of Friday, Jan. 16, the fundraiser had reached $11,415 toward an ultimate goal of $24,000.

Irvin additionally shared the fundraising page for her “sweet niece” on Instagram.

“Sharing the fundraiser helps tremendously too!” she wrote in the post’s caption, alongside a photo of herself with Jazz from an earlier date.