By YASEMIN TALAT
A BURNSIDE resident will receive his second bravery medal for the courageous act of saving three people from a vicious pit bull terrier.
Damian Simon Hall was driving along Westwood Drive in Burnside on 17 November 2011 when he pulled over to help a woman and baby who were being attacked by the dog.
Mr Hall said he quickly reacted to the situation without thinking.
“I saw it happening – I thought that didn’t look right so I turned around went back got out of the car and did what I did,” Mr Hall said.
“I didn’t think, I just did,” he said.
Mr Hall said he grabbed a metal wrench and tried to hit the dog off the victims before the dog then turned on him.
A passer-by pulled up in a ute to also assist and the woman and child were able to climb inside safely with Mr Hall jumping onto the tray of ute to escape the dog.
Mr Hall said he then noticed a neighbour emerge from her house when the dog turned on her.
He ran to the aid of the woman – holding the dog back and giving her enough time to go back inside.
Mr Hall said it was at this stage of the incident that he thought his life may have been at risk.
“I was all spent by then and didn’t have energy in my own legs,” Mr Hall said.
“And I had to get away because it was hanging off me.”
Mr Hall first received state recognition for his bravery in December 2012.
The driver of the utility also received a citation that year for their assistance.
Mr Hall said his family were very proud of his actions and he felt overwhelmed by the recognition.
But he still doesn’t consider himself as a hero.
“In my opinion the heroes in the world wear the uniforms,” he said.
Mr Hall is now friends with the family he rescued, who are still very thankful and grateful for his bravery.
And they regard him as part of the family, he said.
Connie Borg, also from Burnside, was the woman who was pushing her one-year-old grandson along that day when the pit-bull attacked them.
She received a national commendation for brave conduct this year for her actions in protecting her grandson.
Mrs Borg had immediately placed herself in front of the pram to protect him and was clawed and bitten by the dog.
The animal was later destroyed.
