Mum, 35, dies after losing both arms in savage dog attack

The animal had a history of aggression and was abused by its previous owner.

Heather Pingel succumbed to injuries she sustained from a savage dog attack at the home she shared with her boyfriend and their sons in Bowler, Wisconsin on Dec. 8.

According to reports, the mother of two had saved one of her sons from the family dog, a pit bull abused by its previous owner. The animal had a history of aggression, and it had bitten the child. As she was trying to pull the dog away, it turned on her instead.

Her boyfriend saw her fighting off the savage animal and shot it dead with his gun. She was later rushed to a hospital in Wausau. Her injuries were said to be so severe that she lost both of her arms. Sadly, she died last week Thursday, Dec. 16.

The 35-year-old mother's sister, Shannon Pingel, called her "a hero" for saving her child. She also revealed that Heather's boyfriend lost his job prior to the dog attack.

"My sister has 2 kids with her boyfriend. Yesterday he lost his job and today the unimaginable happened! A dog attacked their son and she did what any amazing mother would and sacrificed herself to save him," she wrote on a GoFundMe page opened to raise funds for funeral expenses and medical bills. Shannon said her sister was a devoted stay-at-home mother adored by her sons.

"I'm going to miss calling her and asking when she was going to be here... because she was always running late. I'm just going to miss everything about her," she told WSAW.

The victim's cousin, Jennifer Person, also shared that Heather "was a wonderful person," someone who was "so kind and loving." "She was always there to help people whenever she could. Her kids were everything to her. She even loved them so fiercely, as she demonstrated by giving her life so her son would survive," she said.

As for Heather's son, he is said to be doing well but "needs a lot of stitches but nothing too serious." Her family is now trying to raise funds to help with the medical bills, funeral expenses, and for help in raising the victim's two sons. Shannon said her sister "was way too young to leave" and shared that the family is shocked by her sudden passing.