In a remarkable act of bravery, a teenager in Alabama came to the rescue of a 9-year-old girl who was viciously attacked by a dog on November 7 in Cullman County.

The young heroine, Delyla McCay, found herself in peril when a blue heeler suddenly attacked, fastening its jaws onto her face. It was the swift action of a nearby teen that spared her from further harm.

Delyla had been relaxing on the front steps of her apartment complex with her older sister, McKenzie, who is 13, when the dog unexpectedly lunged at her, biting down firmly.

Recalling the terrifying incident, Delyla shared with her mother, Katie McCay, “Mommy, it grabbed my face and it was just shaking,” as reported by WBRC.

The attack on 9-year-old Delyla McCay by the blue heeler on her apartment steps was thwarted by a courageous teenager. (Facebook/ Katie Joy; GoFundMe)

“I’ve never dealt with nothing like that in my life and I just wouldn’t wish it on anybody,” the girl’s mother said, according to the outlet. “And she’s the sweetest kid in the whole world. Anybody that knows my child, ’cause there’s a lot of people that ask, ‘What was she doing to the dog? Was it provoked?’ My kid was just sitting there. She’s so sweet.”

Delyla’s sister screamed in horror as the dog had the child’s face in its vise.

A nearby teenager rushed in and punched the dog until it let go. McCay said the teenager was also bitten in the process. 

An Alabama teen is being hailed a hero after rescuing a 9-year-old girl mauled by a dog in Cullman County. (Facebook/ Katie Joy)

The blue heeler lunged again and attacked the child’s back, according to the New York Post.

Delyla McCay suffered severe facial and back injuries and was airlifted to Children’s Hospital for surgery. (GoFundMe )

The child sustained severe injuries to the face and back and will require plastic surgery and rabies shots to recover fully.

The dog has been put down, according to Cullman County Animal Control.