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A father has opened up about the frightening moment his four-year-old son was mauled by an enormous dog and then wandered back to his parents, covered in blood.
Luke and Courtney Elson, 35 and 32, had only been at a birthday party in Widgee, on Queensland‘s Sunshine Coast, for 20 minutes on Sunday afternoon when their youngest son Ace hopped off the jumping castle and wandered away by himself.
‘There was a dog tied up away from all the guests, and Ace told us that he tried to pat him when the dog bit his hand, then latched onto his head and started shaking it,’ Mr Elson, a carpenter, told Daily Mail Australia.
‘No one saw it happen, but he got away and his older brother saw him walk back towards me with blood all over his head.’
Ace Elson, four, was attacked by a dog when he went to give it a pat at a birthday party. He had surgery and is recovering in hospital (pictured)
The shaken father-of-four wrapped Ace’s wounds while paramedics were called, but – remarkably – the little boy was upset because leaving the party meant he couldn’t go on the jumping castle again.
‘He was in a lot of pain,’ Mr Elson added. ‘But yeah, he really wanted to stay at the party.’
The 35-year-old doesn’t know what breed the dog was, but he noted the pet was quite young and a lot bigger than his four-year-old.
‘About 50 people were at the party and I think the dog was scared – he’d bark every time someone drove into the property,’ Mr Elson said.
‘He was probably highly-strung when Ace got there and tried to pat him, so he lashed out – one of those freak accidents.’
Ace (pictured) managed to escape the dog’s jaws and run back to his parents, covered in blood
Pictured: Emergency workers airlifting the boy to hospital after he was attacked by a dog
Ace was airlifted to Gympie Hospital with a gaping scar on his face – starting in the middle of his left cheek and hooking right around his ear, ending just under the lobe.
While the family is upset that their little boy will have the scar for life, they’re relieved that the dog’s teeth missed major nerves and tendons – even if it was only by a few millimetres.
Ace also has puncture wounds in his ear and on the back of his head, and another surgeons initially missed on his left hand.
‘There was so much blood that we all missed the one on his hand, but it was a really deep one – went right through the skin,’ Mr Elson said.
Ace was transferred to Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane and had surgery to close the scars on his head on Sunday night.
The Elson family, pictured left to right: Ace, four, Courtney, 32, Zeb, nine, Beau, six, Lola, one, Luke, 35
Despite his frightening ordeal, Ace Elson (pictured right, with his three siblings) was joking with his dad the following morning
The Elson family live in Gympie, Queensland. They are relieved Ace didn’t have any nerve damage
The youngster will need an X-ray to ensure the bones in his hand aren’t broken, but doctors are pleased with his progress overall.
Despite his terrifying ordeal, Ace is in good spirits and has been joking about beating his older brothers Zeb, nine, and Beau, six, in a BMX competition.
‘I played a board game with him this morning – he’s such a happy kid, really boisterous but super friendly,’ his dad said.
The dog owners are good friends with Ace’s parents and, despite the attack, Mr Elson said there’s no tension between the families.
Queensland boy Ace Elson (pictured left) loves playing with his big brothers and little sister
‘The dog was new so I’d never seen him before, and neither had my kids, but I’ve spoken with the family since yesterday afternoon and they’re just super worried about Ace,’ he explained.
Pictured: Courtney and Luke Elson. The couple have four childen, age nine, six, four, and one
‘I hope it blows over and there’s no tension – I wish it never happened.’
Doctors are hoping to discharge Ace from hospital this week, but his recovery could take months.
Mrs Elson’s cousin Kris made a GoFundMe to help the family with finances while Ace recovers.
‘Yesterday my cousin, her husband and their four children experienced an event that can only be described as terrifying,’ she wrote on the fundraiser.
‘To help ease some of the stress and to allow [the parents] to solely focus on their beautiful boy and three other children, I’ve set up a Go Fund Me page.
‘Money raised will help ease their financial load while they have time off work to look after Ace and the family.’
Source: DailyMail
