Arizona woman mauled by her own pit bull now missing 90% of the flesh and bone from her hand

ARIZONA -- A Valley woman wasn't able to do her job after being mauled by her own pit bull. But her friends make sure she knows they are with her in whatever path she chooses next.

"I was screaming, 'Please God, somebody help me,'" Marijo Kryger said.

For 20 terrifying minutes, Kryger was in a fight for her life. The pit bull that she had rescued and owned for a decade suddenly turned on her. Its jaws and chain working together to tear apart her arm.

"You see flashes of your life flash in front of you. And I knew that if I didn't get away from this dog, I was going to be dead, which is pretty scary," Kryger said.

Jane Davis was with Kryger that day and bravely tried to save her life.

"I had a shovel and it had a metal head. And I'm not that big, and it didn't budge them," Davis said.

Somehow Kryger broke free but only 10 percent of the flesh and bone was left just below her wrist.

She now has some movement in her fingers, but her waitressing days at Apache Wells Country Club in Mesa are likely over.

She has no insurance and little family in town.  But long before the attack, she made quite an impression on her colleagues. Those friends and co-workers paid it forward to Kryger with $500.

Kryger blames herself for the attack. She said she knows better than to get in between two fighting dogs, and even though her capabilities will be different moving forward, her attitude couldn't be better.

"I'm the princess for the day. Isn't that crazy? I do, I do. Even though this is a terrible thing that happened. I have so many angels just coming out of the woodwork and wanting to help me. It's amazing. It's amazing," Kryger said.

Kryger hopes to transition to a new job at the country club, possibly as a trainer.

The dog who attacked her was put down, but she is hoping her other pit bull can be adopted into a good home.

(KPHO - April 18, 2014)