My name is Tessa Bean, and I am raising funds for my coworker Matthew's five year old son Dirk. On Sunday, July 17th, while Dirk was visiting his mother in St. Louis, he was attacked and mauled by a dog. Dirk suffered numerous injuries to his face, including soft palate damage, a ripped upper lip, and damage to his cheeks, nose, and eyes. After a seven-hour emergency surgery and dozens of stitches, he's stable and resting with his father Matthew, who immediately joined Dirk in St. Louis to be with his son when he heard about the incident.

We want to gather funds to help pay for Matthew and Dirk's travel cost and medical expenses which insurance will not cover. Matthew will be returning Dirk to their home in Colorado as soon as he is well enough to travel. After that, the money we raise here will be used to help fund Dirk's continued recovery.

Matthew is a recent addition to the team at the University of Wyoming Central Energy Plant, where he works hard as a mechanic-operator to keep vital infrastructure running. Before that, Matthew served with distinction in both the United States Army as an EOD technician and in the Navy as a gas turbine mechanic. He travels to work in Laramie, Wyoming each day from his home in Walden, Colorado, where he is committed to creating a stable and loving home for his children.

We are asking all of Matthew's friends, coworkers, and those he served with, past and present to contribute to Dirk's recovery and to help Matthew's family during this difficult time. Every single dollar raised will be passed on to Matthew to accomplish this goal.