A trust fund has been set up to help pay the medical expenses of a Vancouver Island toddler who was mauled by a cougar last week.
Family members say the cat approached 19-month-old Julien Sylvester silently in Kennedy Lake Park Monday then clamped the toddler's head in its jaws.
The cougar's fangs punctured Julien's skull and depressed it in two places on the back of his head, and there were claw marks on his chest that required stitches – but father Chris Sylvester says his son's condition has improved greatly.
"Doctors say he's going to make a full recovery," Sylvester said. "We're very lucky."
But the family will need to visit a hospital every couple days for the next several weeks so doctors can drain fluid from his injuries, according to family friend Jeni Christy, who created the trust fund.
The frequent appointments could mean lengthy trips to Nanaimo, and Christy says the family is considering whether they should temporarily relocate to be close to health care professionals.
Others in the community are fundraising to build a fence around their yard so the toddler and his four-year-old sister can play safely.
"It's been remarkable how the community has just stepped up," Chris Sylvester said. "I don't know what to say. I'm really kind of humbled by the experience and the generosity."
The boy's grandfather and a family friend are credited with scaring the cougar away during the attack, but Sylvester still required a two-and-a-half hour operation at BC Children's Hospital.
Doctors initially worried he might develop balance problems but now say Julien could have all his functions back within two months, and be completely healed within three.
Kennedy Lake Park has been closed since the attack as authorities search for the cougar, but may be re-opened after Labour Day.
Anyone interested in donating to the trust fund can visit any CIBC branch and say they are interested in supporting "Julien Sylvester and the Hagar family."
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Penny Daflos and files from The Canadian Press
