Heroic Camden County Young Men Who Saved Pennsauken Girl From Pitbull Get VIP Treatment

PENNSAUKEN, NJ - The local news of the day both shocked and inspired Cherry Hill Business Owner Chris Bruner on Feb. 15.

He listened as Erika Rivera of Pennsauken described how prior to the report’s airing, her nine-year-old daughter Toni Diaz was being viciously attacked by a pit bull who had gotten loose. During the report, Rivera also talked about her search for the three young men who came to her daughter’s rescue.

“They stopped their car, jumped out, ran over and pried the dog off of her torso,” Bruner told Patch of their rescuers’ actions. “They used a chair to hit the dog and managed to get the girl back to their car.”

The three young men took the girl to her aunt’s house, then disappeared into the night in the chaos that followed without giving their names. The Feb. 15 report concluded with Rivera’s plea to find those who had helped her daughter.

Bruner, the father of two young children himself, said he knew he had to do something.

“I thought what if something like that happened to one of my kids, I can only hope and pray that there would be heroes, they would be willing to do such a kind in such a kind thing regardless of the risk to themselves,” he said in the interview.

In between his responsibilities as co-owner of American Construction in Cherry Hill, he started working the phones and looking at Facebook pages, trying to help identify the girl’s rescuers.

When he finally learned the identity of the three young men – Jamel Alvarez, 17, and Billy Jackson, 18, both of Pennsauken, and Jason Marte, 19, of Camden – patting them on the back was not enough.

He insisted on giving them a night on the town.

“We were able to get VIP seating” at a 76ers game, Bruner said. “We were also able to go in through the VIP entrance and were treated to dinner at the Center City Club, which was pretty cool.”

Alvarez, Jackon and Marte did not return Patch’s request for comment, leaving Bruner to recount more of the story.

“They kept thanking me and I was like, ‘No thank you. You guys are really amazing.’”

Bruner said he also donated $1,000 to Rivera and Diaz to use however they needed to assist in the nine-year-old’s recovery and any other expenses.

Rivera told Patch her daughter is “doing better,” and added there are several lessons she hopes the community takes from her daughter’s near-fatal attack.

“Be mindful, and check your fence for gaps and openings,” she said. “This could've been a tragic accident that could have ended in me losing my daughter and I wouldn't have known how to deal with that.”

She also expressed her appreciation to Alvarez, Jackon and Marte and called them “heroes.”

“Thanks to the three young men who were able to help and assist her, I'm able to still have my baby here with me.”

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