FLORISSANT, Mo. —
A Florissant woman is getting a national award for heroism after saving two women from dog attacks.
Out of about 800 nominations this year, Robyn Handley earned the Carnegie Medal for Heroism along with only 16 other people for 2024.
On Dec. 22, 2020, a woman was out for a walk in Florissant and was mauled by four dogs she had never seen before.
Handley told 5 On Your Side that the PTSD the 72-year-old victim still faces is a tragedy, whom she now calls a friend.
The four dogs knocked the woman to the ground, bit into the woman's body and tore off parts of her scalp.
"They had torn the flesh and that was open," Handley shared with 5 On Your Side shortly after the 2020 attacks happened. "She was just a bloody mess, hysterical and just screaming for her life. Just screaming for her life."
Running out of her Florissant house, Handley started yelling at the dogs to get away. They did but then charged and began to attack a second woman, who was coming over to help the first victim.
Once again, Handley chased the dogs off, somehow remaining unharmed in the process.
"I have bad knees. I've had both knees replaced," Handley said. "If they would have gotten me down, there would have been three dead women. Seriously because I wouldn't have been able to get back up."
Still remembering four years later, "her screams," Handley said. "I had just gotten out of the shower and heard these blood-curdling screams."
For this, Handley is receiving North America's highest civilian honor for heroism, the Carnegie Medal for Heroism.
One dog was eventually hit by a car and killed while the other three were euthanized according to the Carnegie Hero Fund in the summary of events involving Handley.
St. Louis County Animal Control said dog attacks are more common than you may think.
To protect yourself, you should stay far away.
"They're a lot quicker than you are," said Lee Jackson with St. Louis County Animal Control. "They can do a lot more harm to you than you think they can do."
However, Handley felt she had to do something.
"If they take you to the ground, nine times out of 10 they're going to go for your face, your neck, different things like that," Jackson said.
Handley credits her husband, Tim, and God with protecting her during these attacks who had just passed in April 2020. She can't explain how she wasn't injured.
Ironically enough, the company Handley works for makes medals and awards for clients like the Eagle Scouts and their moms.
This hero who laughs that word off hopes to inspire people to "react on your gut," Handley said.
"Don't think about it," she added. "If I had stayed in the house and thought about I need my coat, I need my shoes, she might not be here today."
If you see someone being attacked by a dog and do approach it, St. Louis County Animal Control said that if you do engage, you can take its hind legs and try to throw them off the person or other animal to try to put it off balance.
Otherwise, immediately call 911 or animal control to get first responders out as quickly as possible.
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