A nurse-in-training has been scarred for life after her father’s 100-pound rescue Pitbull and Bully cross named Irish ripped off her nose and lacerated her right arm and ears during a horrific unprovoked attack in Pennsylvania.
Trinity Rowles, 20, said the attack happened on September 9 last year.
After the dog ripped off the tip of her nose and sank its teeth into her arm, he viciously dragged her across the ground.
Trinity said, ‘Irish attacked me when I ran away. I fell to the ground and then I felt him start biting my nose. I screamed that he bit my nose.’
A week later, Trinity, who has had four surgeries so far and has six more to go on her face, underwent a skin graft using skin from the top of her forehead and scalp so hair could grow on top of her skin. reconstructed nose.
Trinity Rowles, 20, before the attack and now. She has had four surgeries so far and has six more surgeries to go
She also had cartilage removed from her ear, as well as donor cartilage.
Trinity experiences PTSD and terrifying flashbacks from the attack.
She said the flashbacks affect her sleep. She also noted that she is on medication and undergoing therapy to help her deal with the PTSD.
Trinity said her dad had owned the rescue dog for about five years and he was “like a really big teddy bear.”
She said, “He was so sweet and very gentle. I always visited him and I even took care of him when my father was out of town.’
Trinity said the attack was inappropriate for Irish, but noted that they had argued before she left her father’s house on the day of the attack.
She also stressed that the races are emotional and putting them in conflict situations is not ideal for them.
Trinity said: ‘My father put me in the fetal position to protect as much as possible, but Irish kept trying to get hold of me and kept biting me.
He then clung to my arm and started playing tug of war with it like my arm was a toy, dragging her across the yard.
“Then suddenly, like the push of a button, Irish just walked away and sat on the porch.”
After the dog ripped off the tip of her nose and sank its teeth into her arm, he viciously dragged her across the ground. A week later, Trinity underwent a skin graft using skin from the top of her forehead and scalp to allow hair to grow on the skin of her reconstructed nose.
She was taken to Holy Spirit Hospital and then transferred to Penn State Hershey Medical Center due to the severity of her injuries, according to a GoFundMe account set up for her
Trinity’s father and neighbors came to her aid and called the police and an ambulance.
Her father then took Irish inside while she waited for emergency services to arrive.
Trinity said: “When the police arrived I remember being put on a gurney and hearing my father shout ‘just do it’ before the sound of gunfire was heard.”
The attack left Trinity with serious injuries to her face, including her ears, and to her right arm.
She said that although the seizure lasted a few minutes, it felt like much longer.
Trinity added, “During the attack, it was like I was in and out of reality. My fight or flight started but still knew what was happening to me.
“I knew I was being attacked and bitten, but only to a certain extent. I felt the pain, but I had no idea of the extent of the injuries.
She continued, “After the attack, my nose was streaming with blood. It was like a puddle in my hand. I also lost so much blood from my arm.
“I was taken to the hospital and I don’t remember much after that. My mother met me there and she told me that the doctors literally put their hands in my arms because of the size of the wounds.’
The attack left Trinity with serious injuries to her face, including her ears, and to her right arm. Pictured right: Irish, the dog that attacked her
She was taken to Holy Spirit Hospital and then transferred to Penn State Hershey Medical Center due to the severity of her injuries, according to a GoFundMe account set up for her.
The post says she had wounds that covered her arm from her shoulder to her wrist and she was bitten with enough force to break the b
Trinity said she was initially hospitalized for four days. She then came home for a few days before going back for her nose reconstruction.
Trinity said: ‘Having a near-death experience has changed my outlook on life, and I’m very thankful that I’m still here because it could have ended much worse.
“It really affected my self-confidence. It was very difficult to process how my face has changed.’
She said she is now aware of the damage dogs can do and she now has a strong fear of them.
Trinity graduated from Dauphin County Technical School’s Health Careers Program in 2021. After graduating, she began working as a CNA at Select Medical at Penn State Rehabilitation Hospital in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
In the year she was there, Trinity had bought a new car, moved into her first apartment with her boyfriend Jayy, and enrolled in full-time classes at Hacc to begin earning her RN degree.
Trinity said: ‘I have six more surgeries to help with my recovery. The next one will be to help get rid of the scar on her forehead, and we also want to work on my nostrils because they are different sizes.
“Even though this has been a life-changing and horrifying experience, I’m just so glad to be here.”