Six-year-old who saved sister from dog gets praises from Anne Hathaway, Chris Evans and other stars

A six-year-old boy who is now being held as a hero for saving his little sister from a dog, has been receiving a lot of praise, but what made his day were messages from actor Chris ‘Captain America’ Evans and other actors who’ve played superheroes.

On July 9, Bridger jumped into action when a 1-year-old old German shepherd mix charged toward his 4-year-old sister. While shielding his sister he was brutally attacked by the dog.

“Tragically, instead of running off, the dog leaped and latched onto Bridger’s cheek,” the statement reads in part.

Bridger subsequently underwent a two-hour surgery that required more than 90 stitches, according to his family. And when his father asked him why he jumped in between his sister and the dog, he is said to have told them, “if someone had to die, I thought it should be me,” according to the statement.

The young boy’s aunt started an Instagram page and shared that Bridger is an Avengers fan, which caught Hathaway’s attention.

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There are no words. We are so, so thankful.

A post shared by Nikki Walker (@nicolenoelwalker) on Jul 15, 2020 at 4:36pm PDT

“I’m not an Avenger, but I know a superhero when I see one,” Hathaway wrote on Instagram alongside photos of Bridger and his sister.

“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??”

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Hey, all. Please, share my nephew’s story so that it gets as much exposure as it can. We know that our little hero would love some words of encouragement from his favorite heroes. On July 9th, my six year old nephew Bridger saved his little sister’s life by standing between her and a charging dog. After getting bit several times on the face and head, he grabbed his sister’s hand and ran with her to keep her safe. 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. @tomholland2013 @chrishemsworth @robertdowneyjr @markruffalo @prattprattpratt @twhiddleston @chadwickboseman @vindiesel @chrisevans EDIT: I just finished visiting with Bridger at his home. His wounds are looking so much better! He’s in great spirits, and his awesome personality is intact. He can’t smile too widely yet, but he was grinning as I read some of your comments to him. I’d also like to mention here that the dog’s owners are really great people who have been nothing but kind to Bridger and his family. We feel no resentment toward them at all, and—if anything—there’s only been an increase of love between our families as a result of this incident. EDIT 2: Once again we’re blown away by the amazing comments and messages that Bridger’s receiving. I’ve had lots of inquiries about a GoFundMe. Bridger’s family has asked that any one wishing to help out financially can, instead, donate to @mission_22 or @wwp. Bridger is also a huge fan of Science, especially Geology. So I’m going to start a post where people can share with him pictures of cool rocks that they see. EDIT 3: Once again, everyone’s kindness has meant so much to us. I’m trying to get to all of the messages that I can, but it may take some time. For those who have inquired about sending Bridger some rocks, here’s the address to use: Bridger Walker P.O. Box 22141 Cheyenne, WY 82003 #BridgerStrong

A post shared by Nikki Walker (@nicolenoelwalker) on Jul 12, 2020 at 8:53am PDT

The family also says Ruffalo, Tom Holland, Hugh Jackman, Zachary Levi, the Russo brothers and Robbie Amell are among those who have reached out to them.