A schoolboy whose leg was amputated after being attacked by his dad’s police patrol dog can now surf, swim and perform gymnastics with a prosthetic leg. Sports-mad Hunter Mastaler, nine, had his left leg amputated below the knee at the age of four, leaving him terrified he’d be unable to live a normal life.

It may have taken the spirited youngster, from Austin Texas, a while to get used to life with a prosthetic leg, but Hunter didn’t let his disability stop him from mastering new sports. In just five years he’s mastered the art of swimming, and has even won some races, has learned how to rollerblade and can also ride waves on a surf board.

His mom, Rosalie, 35, said: ‘When the accident happened I prayed my son would not lose his leg. After the amputation we did wonder if our son would ever have a normal life again.

‘Hunter felt like he had lost his childhood and he struggled to understand why he didn’t have his leg anymore and hated how he was different to all of his friends.

‘I always knew that the prosthetic would allow him to do what he wants to physically, but seeing what he is able to do now is beyond my wildest dreams. We have pushed him to be athletic because that’s what he enjoys.

‘Even seeing him walk for the first time was surreal, so to see him doing all of these awesome activities really is amazing. He won the first swimming race he ever took part in, and I just cried.

‘He has exceeded my expectations and we are all so proud of him.’

Hunter may be living life to the full now, but five years ago, in February 2015, his life was turned upside down when he was viciously attacked by his father’s K9 police dog. Michael, 35, who is now a pilot, used to work in the K9 unit with the Riatlo Police Department, when the family lived in the Californian city.

As part of the job Michael acquired seven-year-old Jango, a Belgian Malinois in January 2014 and whilst the dog lived in kennels in the family’s back garden, Rosalie insists he was not a pet. She said Hunter and his brother Cade, 7, never came into contact with him.

However, a year into Jango’s stay with the Mastalers the unthinkable happened. In February 2015, Michael, after returning from a two day trip, let Jango out of his kennel and into the backyard before going upstairs.

Rosalie was out with Cade, aged two at the time, and while Michael was in the shower, Hunter, who was left watching TV and playing games, wandered into the backyard. No one know what actually happened, said Rosalie, but when Hunter was outside he was attacked by Jango and suffered life-changing injuries.

He was only saved from worse injuries thanks to neighbors who heard screaming coming from the backyard, broke through the wooden fence and pulled Hunter from the dog’s mouth.

‘I was out with my brother-in-law when I got the call from Michael, he said Hunter has been bitten and I need to go home right away. To be honest I didn’t think it’d be a big deal, but when I heard that an air ambulance was on the way, I knew it was serious.

‘They actually tried to save his leg by putting pins it in, but his veins were beyond repair and the blood flow never came back to his lower leg. They waited for three days before amputating his leg.

‘Michael felt a huge amount of guilt that he left Hunter on his own, he feels like what has happened is 100% his fault. He feels like he ruined his son’s life.

‘But for me, I knew how upset Michael was already with himself, so there was no anger or blame from me. It was an accident.’

After the attack Jango was placed with animal control in a ten-day quarantine and did not return to the Mastaler’s home, nor was he put down. Hunter, meanwhile, was fitted with a prosthetic leg six weeks after the accident and whilst it has given him a new lease of life, he initially struggled to adjust to living with it.

Rosalie said it took eight months for Hunter to learn how to walk with the prosthetic and that he required months of physically therapy to help him learn how to use it. Hunter also required mental therapy to help him come to terms with his new reality.

But over the last five years not only has Hunter learned how to able to walk, run and move around independently with his prosthetic, he’s also received grants to allow him to take part in a range of sports. He’s been supported by the Challenged Athletes Foundation, which provides opportunities to people with physical challenges so that they can lead an active lifestyle.

The foundation’s support has enabled Hunter to try out things like surfing, gymnastics, golf, baseball and fuelled by his own passion, Hunter has also developed a love of swimming and quickly developed his skills in the water.

He’s part of a recreational swimming team in his local area and competes without wearing his prosthetic against able-bodied children of the same age, and has won several races.

Rosalie, who has another son with Michael, three-year-old Logan, said: ‘I want him to try out as much as he can to help with his confidence. It has made him happy and he really is in a great place now.

‘He is a good kid and has made some great choices, after all he has been through he hasn’t let anything get the better of him.

‘He knows the prosthetic is part of his life forever now and he has learnt to embrace it.’

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