Heroic great-grandfather, 90, dies after being mauled by American bulldog while trying to protect his wife from the vicious animal

UNITED KINGDOM -- A great-grandfather who jumped in to protect his wife from a vicious dog has died from the injuries he sustained in the horrific attack.

Brave Andrew Russell, from West Calder, East Lothian, stepped in when an American bulldog mauled his wife Dorothy, 88, in the town's high street last month.

The 90-year-old, who walked with a zimmer frame (to us Americans, it's a walker), wrestled the dog to the ground, but sustained horrific injuries when he tried to shake off the animal.

The dog bit through the flesh on Mr Russell's arm, exposing the bone, before several bystanders came to his aide.

 

Mr Russell was taken to St John's Hospital in Livingston for extensive treatment, which including skin grafts. He initially made good progress when he was moved to a rehabilitation ward, but his condition deteriorated and he died on Friday.

His grandson, Ryan Irvine, 40, said: 'We see him as a hero, but around him we had to play it down.
'He did not want to take any credit. He was glad that it is was not my grandmother who sustained the injuries. He just said; "I had to do what I had to do".

'From his point of view, he was glad he took the brunt of it. She is understandably upset as anybody would be. They have been married for 69 years.

'The trauma alone took its toll on a man who was 90 but in fairly good health previous to the incident.
'He passed away because of the injuries. It's a shame to see that it was something like this that was going to end his life.'

Mr Russell served in the Merchant Navy as a young man, travelling the world, and worked as a foreman at an electrical firm before he retired in 1989. He and his wife had recently moved to a supported living complex.

Despite Mr Russell's age and a diagnosis of the rare liver condition Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC) 15 years ago, his family said he had been in relatively good health.

He leaves behind children Irene Irvine and Andrew Russell, granddaughter Lynn McKeen and great-grandchildren Darragh, Rhiannon and Ceara McKeen.

Grandson Mr Irvine, a teacher, added: 'He was a very determined man and he never gave up easily if he put his mind to something. He was a very trusting and caring person. My grandfather was being very modest and played it down when people suggested he was a hero. He saved his wife's life. We thought he was going to make a recovery but this last week it all got too much for him.

'When someone lives to 90, that is a good age, but you don't expect it do end in such a horrible way. He was not ready to die.

'We are very grateful for everyone who jumped in to help. We did not think he was going to survive that day.'

Mr Russell's family have received hundreds of messages from people expressing their shock and disgust at the dog attack.

A woman is facing two charges under the Dangerous Dogs Act in connection with the attack. The dog - which is not a banned breed - has been seized by police.

The death came as a breeder of American bulldogs was charged after his animals allegedly attacked a 63-year-old man.

Stephen Potts, who was not involved in the incident related to Mr Russell, was charged with owning dangerously out of control dogs after an incident in County Durham.

Mr Potts, 48, lost an arm when he was mauled by his own bulldogs before five of his animals allegedly injured another dog walker shortly after Mr Potts returned home from hospital.

All of the dogs owned by him have been taken to kennels and he will appear at Peterlee Magistrates' Court on November 27.

(Daily Mail-Oct 28, 2014)