86-year-old dog attack survivor released from rehab facility

MIDDLEBURG, Fla. (WCJB) - After nearly four months recovering from potentially deadly injuries, a Hawthorne veteran who was mauled by two dogs is heading home with her son.

Earlier this summer, 86-year-old Gertrude Bishop was attacked by two dogs in her Hawthorne neighborhood. After several surgeries, her leg was amputated.

RELATED: 86-year-old Hawthorne woman hospitalized after being mauled by 2 dogs

Wayne Thomas, Bishop’s son says her age and this attack hasn’t changed her attitude.

“She just has this go-getting attitude, there is nothing that will get her from getting what she wants,” Thomas said.

Bishop was released from a rehab facility in Middleburg on Friday afternoon. What she wants now is her independence, but it will be another few months, now staying with her son in Jacksonville before she gets to live alone once again.

Bishop says her faith has motivated her to keep moving. She also says her strength and resilience comes from up above.

“By the grace of god, that’s how I get through all things,” Bishop said.

Her attitude of forgiveness doesn’t stop when it comes to the neighbor whose dogs attacked her.

“I refuse to file a lawsuit against the guy. I don’t believe in suing people and he had always been nice to me when I went out to the mailbox, if his dogs were lose he would make them go inside. I don’t know why they were lose the morning i went outside,” Bishop said.

Her neighbor, Christopher Smith, faces four criminal charges including negligence. His next appearance in a Putnam County courtroom will be Sept. 20.

Bishop will have a prosthetic fitting next week, and for right now her fight continues.

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