Watching Casey Booth charm a crew of North Ada County firefighters, it is easy to forget how seriously the 7-year-old boy was injured two weeks ago.
Most of his wounds from a cougar attack are healing.It is not clear yet whether the damage to Casey's right facial muscles and nerves is temporary or if additional surgery will be needed. He lost two teeth in the attack and will require dental and orthodontic care. His ear also may need some minor cosmetic surgery.
But 10 days after Casey was released from St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, his eye is no longer swollen, his vision is almost fully restored and he has his equilibrium back.
"It seems like it's been months ago and it's only a week," said his mother, Mary Barrett.
On June 1, the boy was mauled by an escaped pet mountain lion near Robie Creek. He suffered three or four bites around the eyes, ears, mouth, neck and skull. Physicians credit the boy's grandfather, Rick Beaumar, and his 9-year-old sister, Jessica Barrett, with scaring off the cat and getting emergency medical care to Casey in time.
Hours later, authorities caught and killed the cougar, allegedly owned by Randy and Laurie Catalino, neighbors of the Beaumars.
Since then, Mary and Darrell Barrett say their family has seen nothing but kindness and support from the community.
Sunday, members of North Ada County Fire Rescue Station 2 obtained special permission to take the boy on a ride in a fire engine. Usually, no one under age 18 is allowed on board a fire truck.
Though the crisis has passed, Casey's family finds itself dealing with the trauma, both psychological and financial.
Some counseling sessions may be needed to deal with the images of the cougar attack that Mary and Darrell confronted.
There's also the gravity of the medical bills which could swamp Darrell Barrett, a construction worker, and his wife, a loan processor for a local mortgage company. They expect to receive $50,000 in bills after the boy's insurance policy covers its share of the costs.
"It will bury us," Darrell said. "We are far from rich."
Though they may file a lawsuit against Randy Catalino, they don't expect to recover much from him. Catalino's attorney, Gar Hackney of Boise, said his client did not carry insurance.
Hackney said any lawsuit would have to prove that it was Catalino's cat that hurt the boy.
Catalino does not have the personal resources to cover the Barretts' bills, Hackney said.
That means the Barretts will have to rely on a trust fund set up to help Casey. So far, only $300 has trickled in.