I Survived

It was a warm June morning in Vans Ant County, Texas as a five year old little girl awoke and started to search for her mom. She went through every room of her older brother's house and couldn't find her beloved mother. She went to the front door, unlocked it, and stepped outside not knowing what was about to happen. The little girl thought that her mother was feeding the horses in the 2 1/2 acre pasture. She walked out to the pasture and noticed that the white horse they have had for 4 years was startled. While petting it's mane hoping it would calm it down, everything went black. She could feel pressure on her back and couldn't move. Fearing the worst as she felt something tearing into her head and pulling her hair. She managed to put her arms over her face to protect anything she could. Her screams echoed through the area as she was being dragged across the pasture. She refused to give up and kicked something as she flipped over. She came face to face with the bloody muzzle of a black panther snarling and showing it's teeth. She tried to roll back over but was too late. The panther had clawed her neck and she was covered in her own blood as it ripped off the nightgown she was wearing. Her screams got softer and just as soon as she thought hope was lost her father and older brother came running out with a shotgun. Fear coursed through their veins as they saw her in a pool of blood. They shot near the panther and as it ran off, her father ran over to pick her up in his arms. Her brother had grabbed his car keys from the house as they rushed down the street and interstate going 100 mph. Her father is begging her, "please stay with me baby girl." With the last bit of energy she could summon she whispered, "daddy where were you?" "I hollered but no one came." With tears in their eyes they try to get to the closest hospital when lights started flashing in their rear view mirror. They pulled over hoping that the state trooper would help, but they didn't know what they were about to see. The state troopers separated, one to each side and as they looked through the car at the little girl's bloody body, their faces turned white. They ran to the police car and radioed for an ambulance and emergency helicopter. The ambulance and helicopter got there at the same time as the paramedics, doctors, her brother, and the troopers tried to pry the dying girl from her father's worried arms. He finally let go when a young, female paramedic looked him in the eyes and said, "sir I can't save her if you don't let go." The helicopter raced to the hospital as the girl flat lined twice, they brought her back each time she left. They had finally reached the hospital where the young girl had flat lined multiple times while going through over 30 surgeries and 20 blood transfusions. They saved her by taking the two lower back muscles and putting it where the muscle was missing on her skull, used veins and skin from her thighs to rebuild her scalp. They stitched her back together. She suffers from flashbacks and PTSD, but she still puts the biggest smile on her face as she helps anyone she can. That five year old little girl is now 22 years old with a handsome 4 year old baby boy. I am that girl.