Margaret A. Mintz’s life required some direction and continued recovery. She began to find her salvation last year in Lake Havasu, Arizona. She worked at her job that she enjoyed, found her new friends, and resumed her side hustle of singing and songwriting that had stuck with her. “Things were going well,” she said.

Mintz faces a new struggle after being attacked by a dog in Lake Havasu City on January 1. Her attack left most of her face in tatters. She spent nine days at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas, undergoing her two surgeries to reconstruct her face, and had more surgeries planned.

“I was alone in the hospital for two days, so I was scared,” she said in a telephone interview. “I thought I was going to die.”

According to the American Veterinary Association, in the United States, where 45% of households have at least one dog, 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year, and more than 800,000 people require treatment. It can happen in an instant without warning. Insurance companies paid him $881 million in claims related to dog bites in 2021.

Miss Mintz’s previous struggles included battling drug addiction and all the heavy baggage it brought.

But last year, she set out to literally follow in her father’s footsteps to find a new life with prospects as bright as the city she settled in. Lake Havasu City, a city of approximately 57,000 people in southwestern Arizona with 400 miles of coastline. It is advertised as “Arizona’s Playground”.

It is a vibrant city that continues to grow. About 5,000 new residents gathered in the decade from 2010 to 2020, according to census data.

Her father, Kenneth J. Mintz, a veteran and Sackett’s Harbor resident, launched the Kenny Walk Across America fundraiser on April 1 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. He has raised funds for his three charities: Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Operation Resiliency, and Johnny Mack His Soldiers His Fund.

Mr. Mintz, who has homes in Sacketts Harbor and Carlisle, Pennsylvania, invited Margaret on a walk. She flew to Indianapolis, where her father picked her up.

“I was going nowhere and living a terrible life,” Miss Mintz told The Times in November. I may never have another opportunity like this.I was unemployed and had no money.”

A few days into her walk, she realized her father’s support van needed a new driver. She switched from walking to driving with her full support. Together, they reached the Pacific Ocean. On her way west, Miss Mintz discovers Lake Havasu City and decides to put down roots there. She arrived in a community she knew no one two days after her father’s walk ended.

“I had to start my life over,” Miss Mintz said in November. “I decided that if I didn’t stay here and instead returned to Pennsylvania to live with my father, I would regret it.”

Her mom and dad arrived with her at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center earlier this month. “Mom arrived first, and the next day Dad came,” she said. “My mother stayed there for a few days, and she was in the hospital with me. My father retired, so he stayed there until we flew home,” she said.

Mintz is currently recuperating at her mother’s Karin Cordero Carbone home in Sacketts Harbor. Ms. Mintz said she was just visiting because follow-up medical appointments and related insurance coverage are all in the Lake Havasu City area. But she’s seeing her Dr. Deana E. Paley, a plastic surgeon in Watertown.

“I have another follow-up with her on Wednesday,” Miss Mintz said Monday. “She took out some of my sutures for me.”

Miss Mintz’s GoFundMe account is now set up. As of Tuesday afternoon, she had collected $9,541 in charges related to the dog attack. Your account goal is $20,000.

In the “words of support” section of the account, one donor wrote: Walk strong. “

attack

A spokeswoman for the Records Division of the Lake Havasu Police Department said reports were not immediately available.

“I can’t disclose anything too specific about the situation,” Miss Mintz said.

Last she heard, the dog was probably under police quarantine. “I haven’t heard anything since,” she said.

Early on New Year’s Day, January 1, Mintz and some acquaintances stopped by her friend’s house.

“We walked in the door and sat together. The dog was on the floor with me and just went and bit my face,” Miss Mintz said.

She doesn’t remember the breed of the dog, but said it was large and probably a mixed breed.

The dog’s owner was able to pull the dog away from her, but it was damaged.

“I don’t take a lot of things seriously. Even now, it’s not that serious,” said Miss Mintz. I’ve been told that it’s one of the bites.”

But Miss Mintz said it could have been worse.

“I was really lucky,” she said. “The dog swallowed the entire top of my lip and part of my cheek was completely gone.” She said doctors used part of her lower lip to attach her upper lip.

“They are still obsessed and have a lisp and it’s hard to talk,” she said.

She mostly eats through straws and drinks smoothies and protein shakes.

“You can eat it by cutting it into small pieces,” Mintz said. I do not like it.”

Her outlook was positive, however, and she reiterated how lucky she was.

“I can still breathe, I can talk, I can eat,” she said. “I may not sing the way I like it yet, but it will happen. If anything, it’s kind of very uncomfortable.

fundraiser on saturday

Miss Mintz’s first chance to sing in public comes Saturday. An open mic fundraiser was organized to support the GoFundMe fundraiser. Perks are in the Sackett’s Harbor Ballroom at 103 West Main Street from 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Featured acts are Miss Mintz’s brother Maximus Mintz and his Syracuse-based band Delinquent Activity.

“I’ll probably sing a few songs,” said Miss Mintz. “I can still sing a little.”

A similar fundraiser was held on January 10 at the Rickety Cricket Lake Havasu Taproom. There he played with Mintz open his microphone. The Rickety Cricket fundraiser was organized by Lake Havasu Music veterans of his scene, Gail “Stormy” Patrick and Claudia Stack.

Patrick, who has been singing in Las Vegas for 20 years, says he got to know Mintz after the owner of the Pool House in Lake Havasu City encouraged him to contact Patrick when he asked about live music opportunities. .

“She reached out to me on Facebook chat,” Patrick said. They met at Flying X, a country facility in the City of Lake Havasu that hosts an open mic on Monday.

“We bonded instantly,” Patrick said. “She started playing. She’s great. I said to her, ‘You should record.’ Her voice is so unique. She has to appear in ‘The Voice’ and it has to be recorded. That’s how much I trust her. I’m 66 and have been singing all my life. “

Patrick said he was surprised to see Mintz at a Lickety Cricket fundraiser on 10 January, the day after he was released from hospital.

“Come in, Claudia and I are setting up our gear,” said Patrick. “I turn around and there’s still no one there. Maggie is sitting at the table in the back. I’m like, ‘What the hell?’ I go back to her and hug her. she muttered. “That’s my fundraiser.” I said okay. ‘”

music festival

Mintz’s mother, Carbone, said Saturday’s open mic was designed to be a celebration of music.

“Maggie regularly attends open mic events,” Carbon says. “We sincerely hope others will reach out to Mike and celebrate with us. Proceeds will go directly to her recovery — medical bills not covered by insurance, mental health support.” , and/or restorative treatment that may occur as part of what she has been through.

“Maggie is truly one-of-a-kind and amazing in so many ways,” Carbon said.

“She has faced greater challenges when she was younger than most of her age,” Ms. Carbon said. “Margaret was trying to move on and create a new life for herself. I will do everything in my power to support her recovery—physically, emotionally, and materially to the strain on her.I will never give up on this girl.”

Miss Mintz plans to return west.

“I still don’t know what the timeline will be just because my next surgery is scheduled for February 27th.” No. I’m kind of deciding because I have to find a new place to live there or something like that.

But one thing is certain for her. She said she belonged to Lake Havasu.

“When it first happened, I didn’t know what I was going to do,” she said of the attack. I have friends, my music world is there, and I’m still going to do music.”

She also worked as a barista at Lake Havasu City. “And when I get back there, I’m still at that job,” she said.

Miss Mintz was asked how much the episode set her back in life.

“It’s been very difficult for me mental health-wise,” she said. It’s been very difficult, not a stiff face or a stiff bite, which seems to be another thing I have to work on now.”

She said it was difficult to get home despite local support.

“I feel like a failure, even though I know it’s not,” she said. “But it’s added stress now.”

But Miss Mintz said she wanted to deal with her current situation more than anything else.

“This isn’t as bad as being in an active addiction and suffering. Just going about it and lying to my family,” she said. “At least I’m doing well in that department.” I know there are, and this is very surprising to me.”

She added: And I know it.

“She’s an old soul,” said Patrick. “She’s smart. Also the love and support of her friends here. Because it happened, we’re not saying, ‘Oh, it happened, and now she’s gone.'” No. I’m still on TikTok with her. Her friends still message her. She has a real real blue friend here, absolutely. “

Her dad, Mr. Mintz, said Maggie is resilient.

“I believe she will find a way to turn this tragedy into a victory. That is my hope for her.”

He believes this situation might be an opportunity for her too.

“A chance to be resilient, a chance to inspire others, a chance to take a new path and find a better life with new possibilities. I hope that will make this journey full of hope.”

There are many reasons for that hopeful view, he added.

“I hope she knows that many people care about her and want to support her move forward in a positive way. She is loved. She is rich.” She lives life and I can see her beauty shining through the scars on her face.”