Two women, who saved a boy from being mauled by Rottweilers, have been recognized by the Vista City Council for their heroism, the North County Times reported.
"You often read in the newspapers of people who see things happening and they just stand by and watch or they don't do anything," Vista Mayor Morris Vance said. "I think it's commendable that you did what you did at the peril of your own safety."
Vista sixth-grader Clayton "C.J." Snow was walking to class Oct. 30 when two Rottweilers on the loose attacked him behind Rancho Buena Vista High School.
Keely Garcia was driving her daughter to school when she saw the attack. She got out of her car and called for help. Deidre Smith, a Vista kindergarten teacher, also saw the attack and got out of her car.
The women tried to shield the boy, but the dogs would go around them or jump on top of them to renew their attack on the boy, who was bitten 40 times and required dozens of stitches.
Eventually, a young man ran up and grabbed the dogs, taking them off Snow, who was quickly put in Smith's car.
After the attack, Garcia said she was frustrated at not having more help during the mauling.
"People were just passing us by, and people were standing behind their cars, and I was just looking at them, yelling, 'Help me, please help me,' " Garcia said. "And they would say, 'I called 911.' But nobody would come."
Snow survived the attack after dozens of stitches.
The Vista council declared Wednesday to be "Keeley Garcia Day" and Thursday to be "Deidre Smith Day" in honor of the women who came to Snow's aid, the paper reported.
"It's humbling, because I think I did what anybody would do," Deidre Smith said. "Honestly, I didn't expect it, but it's really a great honor."
The owner of the dogs voluntarily surrendered them to the North County Humane Society, and the dogs were put down because of the severity of the attack, the paper reported.
