WGNO

Florida dog attack victim diagnosed with COVID-19 while rehabbing from injuries

HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Falcon Dinis is amazed his mother-in-law is alive.

On Feb. 7, Debbie Beaulieu was in her backyard when a pack of dogs attacked her and her own dogs.

Paramedics rushed her to the hospital in critical condition.

“I don’t even know to this day how she survived that,” said Dinis. “Her skull is gone completely from here to the entire back. Her leg, it was pretty much eaten away. They had to shorten her leg 2 inches to make all of the blood vessel connections.”

Dinis says Beaulieu underwent numerous surgeries. She flatlined twice, but doctors were able to bring her back.

Then, while at a rehabilitation facility, the unthinkable happened.

“She ended up contracting the coronavirus, and at the moment, she fought it through,” said Dinis. “And I don’t know how she does it.”

After weeks of recovering, and she is now COVID-19 free. However, she remains in the hospital because of the dog attack. Dinis said she’s worried about her home and how she’s going to pay the bills.

“And I tell her all the time, I speak to her, I tell her, ‘You don’t have nothing to worry about, Mom. I got it all,'” said Dinis. “Just keep fighting and the rest we’ll take care of.”

Dinis believes she will be released from the hospital soon, and that will be an emotional day for him.

“That day is going to be one of the happiest days of my life — besides seeing my daughters being born. I think that will be the same way,” he said.

Dinis is hosting a car show fundraiser for his mother-in-law, and the money raised will help with medical bills and personal care expenses.

WARNING: Graphic image below