11-year-old dog attack survivor shares his long road to recovery

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A Grovetown 11-year-old had his seventh surgical procedure Monday after being attacked by three canines.

Since then, households throughout the nation have raised over $200,000 for Justin Gilstrap.

Georgia Coach Kirby Sensible and Quarterback Stetson Bennett referred to as and despatched items to the Dawg fan. Now he’s sharing his story with us.

Justin’s mother says some days are good, and a few will not be so good with Justin within the Kids’s Hospital of Georgia. By all of it, Justin says he’s a fighter.

“I don’t quit. I don’t quit for nothing,” he mentioned.

His highway to restoration is an extended one however he’s taking in the future and one surgical procedure at a time.

“I’m trying to get higher and stroll once more, having the ability to stroll,” he mentioned.

He confirmed he was in a position to stroll by taking just a few steps.

“It made me pleased,” mentioned Justin. “I used to be pleased with myself to have the ability to stroll once more.”

Individuals are seeing his toughness and rallying round him, like two of Justin’s idols: Kirby Sensible and Stetson Bennett.

“We have been speaking about how I used to be thanking him for the soccer, and I used to be simply excited to see him,” mentioned Justin.

His aim is to see Bennett in particular person as soon as he’s recovered.

“My dream is to get out on the sector and throw the soccer with Stetson Bennett,” he mentioned.

He additionally desires to get again on his bike, which was the very last thing he did earlier than he was attacked.

“It makes my leg really feel higher and I like driving my bike with my buddies,” mentioned Justin.

Justin will proceed his struggle for at the very least yet one more month on the kids’s hospital, after which his mother says as soon as they’re finished in Augusta, they’ll should go to Atlanta for surgical procedures.

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