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Child in Serious Condition after Dog Mauling
Meredith


A little girl from the Gassaway community is recovering in a Chattanooga hospital after being viciously attacked by a dog last week. The child suffered wounds all over her body, including her face and scalp and is facing a long recovery.

According to the family’s GoFundMe page, on Wednesday, August 9, four-year-old Meredith Smith, daughter of Trey and MaryWells Smith, was mauled by a dog (not belonging to them). She suffered extensive bite injuries to her legs, arms, back, neck and head on both her face and her scalp.

The family said that over the next several weeks, the girl will need various emergency treatments followed by other long-term care. She began a first surgery the evening of the attack, after being Lifeflighted with her mother to Erlanger Children’s Trauma Center in Chattanooga.

Trey Smith said in a message to the Smithville Review that the family’s main appreciation is to the first responders, including his wife, who was the first healthcare professional on scene once notified of the incident.

“She is a Family Nurse Practitioner and did the initial assessments,” Smith said. “Huge thanks to the Critical Care Medics, Volunteer Fire Department, Cannon County Rescue Squad and law enforcement for working hard to get an airlift that was able to transport Meredith and was able to allow my wife to accompany our four year old.”

In addition to facing the horrific reality of this attack and of their daughter’s medical condition, the family is facing a number of urgent financial needs related to this crisis. These include:

·         Meredith’s medical care (including the emergency transport to the trauma center, scans, an extensive hospital stay, multiple surgeries, antibiotic treatments, and wound care, among others)

·         Time off work (at least two months for MaryWells, who is a contract worker without paid time off, as well as some for Trey and MaryWell’s mother who is coming to help)

·         Prolonged hotel lodging for MaryWells in Chattanooga

·         Travel expenses (anticipated commutes between home and Chattanooga)

·         Food costs, both for MaryWells and her mother away from home, in addition to additional support for Trey who is managing the rest of the family's food and who could use meal support – a meal train is not feasible at this time)

·         Miscellaneous expenses that will inevitably arise and that cannot be foreseen at the moment.

This fundraiser is starting at $10k but may be increased should additional needs arise. Please consider donating to this family as they face this unimaginably painful crisis. Updates will be posted to gofundme.com/f/meredith-smiths-medical-expenses-dog-attack