Church Raises Money For Girl Savagely Attacked By Pit Bull

GREENWOOD, Ind. -- A Greenwood church held a fundraiser on Saturday to help cover medical costs for the family of an Indianapolis girl who was mauled by a pit bull in May.

Amaya Hess, 2, is now able to play with her big sister, but she's experienced enough pain to last a lifetime, 6News' Tanya Spencer reported.

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Church Raises Money For Girl Savagely Attacked By Pit Bull

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Most people at New Hope Church are strangers to Hess and her family, but were deeply touched by her tragedy. Hess lost most of her scalp and face in the attack. She's had nine surgeries and will have many more.

"At least three surgeries on her scalp (are) left, a couple on her face, and, of course, laser scar removal comes into play in a couple of years," said Bobbie Tomlin, Hess' mother. "They're also going to take a rib and make her earlobe for the ear she lost most of."

Bills have mounted into the hundreds of thousands of dollars and Medicaid won't pay for it all. The church hopes to raise as much money as possible with tickets sold for games, rides and raffles in a mission they have taken on for people who were complete strangers.

"When we first met Bobbie and she took us to the hospital to see Amaya, all I can say is I couldn't believe what I saw," said Dennis Lemerand, who organized the fundraiser. " Our hearts just went out for her."

"This little girl lives with something for the rest of her life, and her mom … It tears your heart out how your life changes so quickly," said New Hope member Marty Schmalz.

Tomlin said Amaya is adapting quickly and that the scars and bills don't matter as long as they are together.

"She's OK with it. She'll pick up a brush and she'll brush the right side of her hair, and then look at me and she's like, 'Mom, my hair,' and I'll say, 'Baby, you don't have any hair over there,'" Tomlin said. "So she'll say, 'OK,' and start brushing her left side and she's perfectly OK with it."

"I tell her, 'Look at that pretty girl,' and she says, 'Oh, pretty.' So, she knows what she looks like and she's OK with it."

Donations to the Amaya Hess Trust Fund can be made at any Union Federal Bank.

Charges were not filed against the dog's owner, Mark Hamilton, 41, but he was cited. The pit bull was euthanized.