JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The grandchildren of an 81-year-old woman said she had her legs amputated after she was attacked by her own dog while breaking up a fight between her two other dogs.
Bennie Byers’ grandchildren said she has had some ups and downs after both legs were amputated right below the knee, but her spirits have been high and the people reaching out to check on her have helped.
Hospital staff is seen on video teaching Byers how to sit up straight in the bed.
Byers’ granddaughter Jasmin, confirmed her grandmother was taken to the hospital on June 12 after she was attacked by her pitbull, “ShaBron,” who is named after her favorite basketball player, LeBron James.
Byers’ was trying to separate her dogs from fighting, which left the retired Duval County School Teacher with two fractured legs.
She said this wasn’t the first time ShaBron injured the 81-year-old. The dog previously bit her finger, requiring her to seek medical care.
Her granddaughter said the family is puzzled since Byers had the pitbull since she was a puppy.
She also said her grandmother is someone who looks after everyone and was the primary caregiver for her paralyzed brother. She is also the oldest of 10 children.
Jasmin said her grandma is loved by everyone and is the glue that keeps her family together. She is confident that she will make it through this because her faith in God is strong.
“The most amazing thing has just been how she is accepting getting her legs amputated,” Jasmin said. “She definitely keeps hope alive, she is always very positive. There are times when she’s not in the best of moods, but she’s human. She has been resilient.”
Byers can no longer do any of her favorite activities like walking or running, but she’s trying to keep everything in perspective.
“Something came on the TV, and it was like this machine that allows you to move your feet sitting down and so she said, ‘Jaz look at that. I want that,’ and so, I looked up at it, and I said ‘Well, Grandma, you don’t have any feet anymore,” and she just chuckled," Jasmin said.
Her grandchildren said Bennie loves to dance. So since she can’t use her feet anymore, she’s learned to adapt using her upper body.
“So sometimes if the music comes on, an old Al Green or something, she got this new dance she’s doing with her shoulders,” her grandson Brandon Byers said.
ShaBron has been put down and her granddaughter said in the next few weeks, she should be transitioning to a rehab.
And throughout this road to recovery, Bennie’s grandchildren said her church family like the Kitchens and her former students---have helped make the process easier.
A GoFundMe was created for Byers as she recovers from the incident.
