Published: March 5, 2025
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Just days before her 1st birthday, Emersyn Lucas was attacked by her family dog, leaving her with severe injuries. Now, at 2 years old, Emersyn has made a full recovery and recently visited the nurses who played a pivotal role in her healing process.
In Dec. 29, 2023, Harley, the family dog, who had always been gentle with Emersyn, suddenly attacked her.
“Two hours prior, she was climbing on his back, playing with him, having a good old time, like they always did, like they were best friends,” said Tanner Lucas, Emersyn’s dad.
“We were all in Emersyn’s room like any other normal night when, in the blink of an eye, he got up and attacked her,” said Tayler Haas, Emersyn’s mom. “We were in shock. We were freaking out. We were screaming, crying.”
An ambulance rushed Emersyn the 50 miles from her home in Irvington, Kentucky, to Louisville, where she was quickly admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at Norton Children’s Hospital.
“I got a call from my charge nurse that we’d be admitting a patient that had a pretty substantial dog bite and we’d be intubating her, which means putting the breathing tube in, as soon as she got here for pain control,” said Madisen Bowling, R.N., a registered nurse in the PICU. “Our goal was to keep her comfortable and stable.”
Emersyn would be sedated for six days while doctors and nurses worked tirelessly to help her recover.
“Securing the breathing tube was really hard, because her poor face — it’s a very sensitive area,” said Kelsey Harris, R.N., another registered nurse in the PICU. “We definitely had to be very careful, make sure she was very comfortable, give her parents a lot of reassurance.”
Throughout Emersyn’s recovery, three nurses in particular became more than just her caregivers — they became like family.
“Intubated kids need constant monitoring. We can’t leave the room for safety reasons, especially with younger children. So, we spend a lot of time with the parents and get to know them well,” said Kelsey Hargadon, R.N., also a registered nurse in the PICU.
The bonds formed with the nurses helped Emersyn’s parents navigate through the traumatic time.
“With nurse Maddie [Madisen], she made sure we knew everything that was going on, made us comfortable the whole time,” Tayler said. “And then both Kelsey Hargadon and Kelsey Harris, they were there with us the most. I love those nurses.”
“They really helped us through everything,” Tanner said.
The care team’s work didn’t stop with stabilization; Emersyn’s recovery also required the expertise of Mark E. Chariker, M.D., a pediatric plastic surgeon with Norton Children’s.
“She was missing a significant part of the skin and muscle to her right lip,” Dr. Chariker said. “We had to replace some of her lip with adjacent tissue and rebuild the lip with muscle from the side.”
Dr. Chariker performed delicate surgery to restore both the appearance and functionality of her lip, allowing Emersyn to speak, eat and smile again. In total, Dr. Chariker has performed three surgeries on Emersyn, and some additional procedures may be needed in the future.
“She’s doing remarkably well. We have her back into a good place; she’s a beautiful child, and I’m glad I could help her on this journey,” Dr. Chariker said. “I’ll continue to observe Emersyn as she grows to ensure her speech and lips are functioning properly.”
A year later, Emersyn’s exceptional recovery has been a testament to the hard work and care provided by the hospital staff. In an emotional reunion, the family recently returned to the hospital to thank the team and give them the opportunity to see Emersyn’s progress firsthand.
“It’s really special when families bring the kiddos back for us to get to see them and where they are now,” Kelsey Hargadon said.
The reunion not only highlighted the strength of Emersyn but also the unwavering dedication of the health care professionals who helped carry her through such a difficult time in her young life.
“We always hope for patients to make this big of a recovery,” Kelsey Harris said. “But to see it actually happen — it’s just amazing.”
For Emersyn’s family, the visit was a moment of reflection and gratitude.
“Doctors, nurses, everyone here — they’ve all taken such good care of us,” Tanner said. “We couldn’t have asked for a better place to bring our daughter.”
“Emersyn has come so far,” Tayler said. “Now it’s time to see her shine.”