Home Lifestyle Parenting

Dog-bite girl loses arm but shines at school swimming carnival

Eight-year-old Thalia Standley is an inspiration!

You’ll struggle to find someone with more courage than eight-year-old Thalia Standley.

Despite losing her lower right arm in a dog attack last August, she hasn’t let anything stop her, just like when she powered through the water at her primary school’s swimming carnival this week.

Her mother, Sally, posted the video of Thalia swimming the entire length of the 50m pool on Wednesday. People can be heard shouting ‘Let’s go Thalia, let’s go!’ in the background, cheering her on.

Sally wrote in the caption of the video, “Not a dry eye at the pool,” and we strongly believe it.

Thalia competed against her classmates and came first in the special needs category.

“She’s just the kind of kid who will try everything herself before she would ask for help,” Sally said of her daughter via a family spokeswoman.

Now six months since the attack, Thalia has had nine surgeries on the wound and is working towards getting a prosthetic hand.

Tickets for a benefit gala for Thalia on February 27 have now sold out, but you can donate at the Reaching Thalia Facebook page.

Watch the inspiring video of Thalia below:

Loading the player...

Related stories


Unwind and relax with your favourite magazine!

Huge savings plus FREE home delivery