Chris Evans sends Captain America shield to boy who saved his sister from dog attack

Chris Evans might not be playing Captain America in the MCU anymore, but he still knows a true hero when he sees one.

Back on July 9, 6-year-old Bridger Walker and his 4-year-old sister were playing outside at a friends’ house when a dog charged toward them. Bridger stepped in front of his sister, absorbing multiple bites to his face and head to protect her. He was able to fight the dog off long enough to grab his sisters hand and pull them both to safety, but not before sustaining injuries that would require 90 stitches and major plastic surgery.

When asked by Nikkie Walker (his aunt) why he was so willing to put himself in harm’s way, Bridger reportedly gave the most bad ass and heartwarming response imaginable:

“If someone had to die, I thought it should be me.”

Nikki posted about Bridger’s heroic actions to her Instagram page, asking for words of encouragement as her nephew began his extensive recovery process.

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Hey, all. Please, share my nephew’s story so that it gets as much exposure as it can. We know that our little hero would love some words of encouragement from his favorite heroes. On July 9th, my six year old nephew Bridger saved his little sister’s life by standing between her and a charging dog. After getting bit several times on the face and head, he grabbed his sister’s hand and ran with her to keep her safe. He later said, “If someone had to die, I thought it should be me.” After receiving 90 stitches (give or take) from a skilled plastic surgeon, he’s finally resting at home. We love our brave boy and want all the other superheroes to know about this latest hero who joined their ranks. @tomholland2013 @chrishemsworth @robertdowneyjr @markruffalo @prattprattpratt @twhiddleston @chadwickboseman @vindiesel @chrisevans EDIT: I just finished visiting with Bridger at his home. His wounds are looking so much better! He’s in great spirits, and his awesome personality is intact. He can’t smile too widely yet, but he was grinning as I read some of your comments to him. I’d also like to mention here that the dog’s owners are really great people who have been nothing but kind to Bridger and his family. We feel no resentment toward them at all, and—if anything—there’s only been an increase of love between our families as a result of this incident. EDIT 2: Once again we’re blown away by the amazing comments and messages that Bridger’s receiving. I’ve had lots of inquiries about a GoFundMe. Bridger’s family has asked that any one wishing to help out financially can, instead, donate to @mission_22 or @wwp. Bridger is also a huge fan of Science, especially Geology. So I’m going to start a post where people can share with him pictures of cool rocks that they see. EDIT 3: Once again, everyone’s kindness has meant so much to us. I’m trying to get to all of the messages that I can, but it may take some time. For those who have inquired about sending Bridger some rocks, we are so thankful. However, we are asking that those inspired by Bridger to do something kind for another person in Bridger’s honor.

A post shared by Nikki Walker (@nicolenoelwalker) on Jul 12, 2020 at 8:53am PDT

As if this kid wasn’t amazing enough already, he also pleaded with the dog’s owners not to euthanize the animal (and cried when he found out they did).

Since that time, Bridger (who is a huge Marvel fan) has received an outpouring of support from all over the world. Some of those messages have come from actors who portray a few of Marvel’s biggest characters, including Anne Hathaway, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Holland, Hugh Jackman, and Captain America himself, Chris Evans.

Yesterday, Nikki Walker posted a video showing her nephew decked out in his own Captain America costume as he watched Evans’ personalized message. After praising the boy for his heroism, Evans surprised him by revealing that he would be sending an authentic Captain America shield his way.

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There are no words. We are so, so thankful.

A post shared by Nikki Walker (@nicolenoelwalker) on Jul 15, 2020 at 4:36pm PDT

If anyone deserves to carry Cap’s shield, it’s definitely Bridger Walker.