A New York resident was brutally attacked by pit bulls in The Bronx even a priest was called in to read him his last rights.
A New York resident was attacked by a pair of pit bulls over the weekend.
Read: Homeless Pit Bull Gives Birth to 7 Puppies, Gets Rescued From Under House
Italian immigrant and artist Francesco Bove, 62, was so badly injured that a priest read him is last rites, according to reports - but he miraculously survived.
"I think I'm going to die," Bove told the priest, his son told CNN. "But the priest made him promise that he will fight until the end."
Bove was walking to church in the Bronx on Friday when the dogs attacked. The NYPD said that Bove and the dog's owner exchanged words before the animals pounced.
Bove is also a marble mason and was going to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church to inspect the marble in case it needs some sprucing because church parisioners are hoping Pope Francis pays a visit during his trip to New York City next week.
Madeline Rayor watched the terrifying attack from her apartment and called 911. She told the operator: “Two dogs are outside attacking this man! Hurry up these dogs are attacking a man!”
The dogs actually dragged the bloodied victim across the street.
People did their best to stop the dogs. One Good Samaritan used a shopping cart to try and push them away and another dragged a hose into the street and aimed water at the pit bulls.
For a moment, the victim was left alone but then the dogs come back for more. The dogs even turned on the Good Samaritans.
Bove underwent five hours of surgery and almost lost an ear. He also has a serious wound on his arm.
Bove doesn’t even blame the dogs for the attack. He says he even owns a pit bull himself.
The victim’s son, Anthony, told CNN: "My father feels terrible that the dogs are probably going to be put to sleep.”
“The pit bull is not an inherently evil dog. But ... these pit bulls might have been trained as guard or attack dogs. He remembers the dogs licking his blood off the ground. They wanted to finish the job. That's very disturbing to him."
Read: Newborn Kitten Survived By Nursing on Pit Bull, Rescued and Recover Together
Police who arrested the owner, Cynthia Oliver, and charged her with assault and reckless endangerment. She told police the dogs overpowered her.
Watch Below: Grandma Brutally Attacked by Pit Bulls in Parking Lot
