A 6-year-old boy’s split-second decision to shield his 2-year-old sister from a charging German shepherd mix left him with a mangled cheek requiring 90 stitches, but his quiet words afterward — “If someone had to die, I thought it should be me” — catapulted him to worldwide hero status, earning a personal Captain America shield from Chris Evans and praise from Marvel stars.

Bridger Walker was playing in a friend’s backyard on July 9, 2020, when the neighbor’s 80-pound rescue dog broke loose and bolted straight for his little sister, Harper. Surveillance footage obtained by local outlet Cowboy State Daily shows Bridger planting himself between the animal and the toddler, arms outstretched. The dog lunged, clamping onto the left side of his face and dragging him several feet before the owner, a 35-year-old woman who asked to remain anonymous, wrestled it off with a garden hose.

Bridger never screamed. Blood pouring from a 2-inch gash that exposed bone, he stood until the dog was secured, then calmly told his aunt, Nicole Walker — who’d posted the story to Instagram — those now-iconic words. Paramedics from Cheyenne Regional Medical Center airlifted him to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, where plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Neumeister performed a two-hour reconstruction, stitching the wound in layers to minimize scarring.

The Instagram post, captioned “My nephew is a hero who saved his little sister from an attacking dog,” exploded overnight. By morning, it had 1.2 million likes and caught the eye of Anne Hathaway, who reposted: “I’m not an Avenger, but I know a superhero when I see one.” Chris Evans, in full Captain America mode, recorded a video from the Avengers set: “Bridger, you’re a hero. Pal, you’re so brave. This is for you — an authentic Captain America shield.” The package arrived three days later with a handwritten note; Bridger, still bandaged, clutched it like treasure.

Mark Ruffalo chimed in on Twitter: “Kid’s more of a man than most men I’ve ever known.” Robert Downey Jr. FaceTimed the family, joking, “Kid, you just earned your Iron Man suit.” Tom Holland sent Spider-Man merch; Brie Larson mailed a Captain Marvel jacket. The Walkers’ living room turned into a Marvel shrine — but the real magic was Bridger’s recovery.

Doctors marveled at his composure. “Most kids that age would be hysterical,” Neumeister told People. “He asked if his sister was okay first.” Bridger spent one night in ICU, then four in a regular room, binge-watching Paw Patrol between ice packs. Stitches came out after 10 days; the scar, a jagged line from cheekbone to jaw, faded to pink within months.

The dog’s fate? Euthanized after testing negative for rabies but deemed a repeat biter — the owner had surrendered it voluntarily, tearfully apologizing at the hospital. In a twist that stunned observers, the Walkers forgave her outright. “Accidents happen,” dad Robert Walker told Fox 13. “We don’t blame her or the dog. Bridger wouldn’t want hate.” They even attended the euthanasia together, praying in the vet parking lot. The owner, overcome, started a GoFundMe for Bridger’s medical bills that raised $250,000 — every cent donated to Primary Children’s burn unit.

Bridger’s story ricocheted globally. CNN, BBC, and Australia’s 60 Minutes ran segments; a Japanese anime studio sketched him as “Shield Boy.” Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon declared July 19 “Bridger Walker Day,” gifting him a cowboy hat and a pony ride. Disney invited the family to Disneyland; Bridger’s only request: “Can Harper come too?”

Five years on, Bridger — now 11 — sports a faint scar he calls his “battle stripe.” He plays Little League, still sleeps with the Cap shield, and volunteers at the local humane society. The dog’s owner remains in touch, sending birthday cards. “Forgiveness healed us all,” mom Nikki Walker posted on the fifth anniversary.

Child psychologists cite Bridger as a case study in sibling altruism. Dr. Alicia Clark told Psychology Today: “At six, he computed risk and chose self-sacrifice — rare empathy.” The Walkers credit faith and Marvel movies. “He wanted to be like Steve Rogers,” Robert said. “Turns out, he already was.”

Today, Bridger’s backyard has a plaque: “If someone had to die, I thought it should be me.” Below it, a new rescue pup — a gentle shepherd mix named Captain — romps with Harper. Real heroes, it seems, don’t need capes. Just courage, stitches, and a heart big enough to forgive.