Hero PSE&G worker uses umbrella to save girl and her mother from pit bull attack in Newark
NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- A man is being hailed as a hero after he saved a little girl from being attacked by a dog in Essex County.
The frightening encounter happened around noon on December 4 along Mount Prospect Avenue.
"I saw the little girl running around the van with a dog chasing her, and her mom chasing the dog," said Paul Manzi, a PSE&G service technician.
Officials say a pit bull was off leash during the encounter. The girl's mother had fallen running, and then the 9-year-old fell too. Manzi knew he had to help, and so he jumped out of his truck and into action.
Manzi's 19 years as a service technician taught him that what he needed to help protect the mother and daughter was a big umbrella.
"I grabbed my umbella and I ran across the street, at this point the dog was on top of the little girl. Wherever he went, I went," Manzi said.
Apparently, open umbrellas can confuse and distract dogs. Manzi even used the element of surprise to scare the dog back.
"This little girl was on the ground right there, and I just ran up and went ha!" he said.
Manzi says the dog came after the umbrella, even trying to break through it, so he kept moving wherever the pit bull moved.
The PSE&G technician continued to fend off the light-colored pit bull while the girl and her mother jumped behind a fence to safety. Eventually, the dog ran off.
Although appreciative of the support, Manzi says the girl's parent was the true hero in this situation.
"When the dog was on top of the little girl, the mom was grabbing the dog's skin," Manzi said. "The skin was like stretching, she was trying to get the dog off. So, she's the real hero, not me."
Manzi explained that the mom and girl didn't speak English, but were able to communicate that they were hurt, so he called 911. He says he hopes that the two are OK following the attack.
The takeaway from this incident: if you're dealing with an aggressive dog, opening an umbrella when it's not raining outside could be a great weapon, and even better luck.
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