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San Jacinto Woman Relates Story Of Near Fatal Pit Bull Attack

SAN JACINTO (CBSLA.com) —"I really thought I was going to die that day," said Bruna Secco, a resident of San Jacinto.

While out for her daily two-mile walk recently, a pit bull attacked her on Commonwealth Avenue, blocks from her house.

The dog bit her legs, taking a big chunk out of her thigh and calves, then he bit her arms. In a fall she broke ribs.

Her family is thankful she survived.

Weeks after her talk, she said she was ready to discuss her harrowing ordeal. "I really thought I was going to die that day," she said. "After he took a chunk out of my leg, I was screaming."

Secco's arms are heavily bandaged in several places. And reports CBS2's Greg Mills, "you can't even see her most serious injuries."

"The dog knocked me down. He broke my ribs. He took a chunk off my breast," said Secco. "And I was screaming and screaming."

Initially, no one came to her aid. Finally, she says, a woman stopped and called 911. And then a man came to her rescue.

Jose Oriana, who lives across the street, grabbed a baseball bat and got the dog off of Secco. She believes he saved her life.

Oriana wasn't available for comment Friday but Mills spoke to his father who said, "The lady came by Monday. She came to say 'Thank you very much and God bless you'".

Secco was then taken to the Riverside County Regional Medical Center for treatment of her deep cuts and lacerations.

The dog was taken to the Ramona Humane Society. Secco said, "I begged them not to let that dog out, and to just put him down."

The dog was euthanized.

Secco  says she is recovering slowly and is hoping to soon resume her two-mile walk.

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