A 6-year-old boy who stepped in front of a dog to protect his younger sister, and received roughly 90 stitches after the dog attacked him, has been praised for his act of heroism, including from one of his own heroes, Captain America.
Fully dressed in his Captain America costume, Bridger Walker, the little boy who was injured in the July 9 incident, took a video call from Captain America actor Chris Evans, who said he read about the story that the boy’s family had shared online.
“Now, I’m sure you’ve heard a lot of this over the last couple of days, but let me be the next one to tell you: Pal, you’re a hero,” Evans told Bridger, who was sitting next to what appears to be his younger sister during the video call. “What you did was so brave, so selfless — you’re sister is so lucky to have you as a big brother. Your parents must be so proud of you.”
Evans then let Bridger know he planned to send him a gift to thank him for his act of bravery with “an authentic Captain America shield.”
“Keep being the man you are, we need people like you,” continued the Captain America actor. “Hang in there. I know recovery might be tough, but based on what I’ve seen, I don’t think there’s much that can slow you down.”
Nikki Walker, the 6-year-old’s aunt, originally posted about the attack on Instagram, where she said that after Bridger was bitten on his face, “he grabbed his sister’s hand and ran with her to keep her safe,” reports Boston-25 News.
The Instagram post adds: “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.”
According to the Cowboy State Daily, Bridger’s aunt later shared in an update to the Instagram post that although “he can’t smile too widely yet,” some of the comments on the post managed to get him “grinning.”
The family has declined calls to create a GoFundMe after Bridger’s attack, but any people who would have liked to donate to him should instead direct funds to either the Wounded Warrior Project or Mission 22, reports the news agency.
According to CNN, Bridger’s story was first picked up by actress Anne Hathaway, who called the boy a “superhero” for his bravery, adding: “I can only hope I’m half as brave in my life as you are in yours, Bridger. Wishing you an easeful recovery, and many cool looking rocks. Hey @markruffalo, do you need a teammate??”
The news agency reports that soon after, actors Mark Ruffalo, Hugh Jackman, Tom Holland and others had reached out as well, according to the family.