Fredric Koeppel, the 81-year-old former Commercial Appeal art critic and restaurant reviewer, is fighting to save his right leg after his own dog attacked him outside his Memphis home. He was rushed to Regional One Trauma Center, where he remains in the ICU, and doctors have already performed at least two surgeries with more expected.
According to WREG.com, Koeppel was attacked by one of his dogs, an eight-year-old German shepherd mix, while he was feeding his dogs and trying to get one of them inside. The station reports the dog charged at him, knocked him down, and clamped down on his right leg. Neighbors responded to the commotion, scared the dog away, and called 911, per the same report.
Injuries and an Uncertain Path to Recovery
Koeppel suffered broken bones in his ankle and foot along with torn blood vessels, WREG.com reports, and doctors are fighting to save his leg. A GoFundMe organized to help with his recovery states that Koeppel “is currently in the ICU at Regional One Trauma Center” and notes that he has already undergone surgery and may need another. The fundraiser, organized by Melanie Spillman, warns there is a strong possibility that Koeppel will lose his right leg below the knee.
Per WREG.com's report, doctors found a pulse in Koeppel's foot as of the day before publication, according to Koeppel himself — a detail he shared even as he continues to face the prospect of losing part of his leg. The fundraiser says its purpose is to help cover food, medical bills, comfort items and other immediate needs during his ICU stay, adding that the support will help ease some of the financial pressure Koeppel faces during surgery and recovery. As of the station's report, the GoFundMe page had raised over $7,000.
A Decades-Long Career Chronicling Memphis Arts and Dining
Koeppel's byline is well known to longtime Memphis readers. He began writing a wine column for The Commercial Appeal in July 1984 and started working there full time on August 11, 1986, according to Memphis Magazine. Over his years at the paper, he became the art critic, and then the restaurant reviewer and the book page editor, the outlet reports.
Koeppel was laid off from The Commercial Appeal in 2009, Memphis Magazine notes, and he later wrote that after ending his restaurant reviewer's job of 20 years, he moved to writing features for the paper's Lifestyles department, according to a piece archived by commercialappeal.com. He retired from freelance work in 2017 but continued writing about wine online through his Substack newsletter, “Bigger Than Your Head,” Memphis Magazine reports.
What Happens to the Dog
WREG.com reports that Koeppel's dog was picked up by Memphis Animal Services and that the agency will euthanize the animal. Memphis Animal Services says its animal-control requests are handled within the City of Memphis, and that its calls for service are dispatched through the Memphis Police Department's system, according to the agency's own guidance posted on its website. The agency directs anyone facing an emergency affecting personal safety to call 911, and says a dog bite or an animal posing a threat to public safety should be reported to the police non-emergency line at 901-545-COPS.
WREG.com reports that Koeppel has received love and compassion from around the world since news of the attack spread. As he continues treatment in the ICU, the outlook for his leg remains uncertain, with doctors continuing to work to save it while Koeppel faces the possibility of further surgeries ahead.
