When Shelby Belfast's pet bullterrier Frankie was attacked by an off-leash dog in January 2025, she didn't think twice before leaping into action, sustaining cuts and puncture wounds to her hands as she pried the attacking dog's jaws off her beloved pet's head. Bowled over by his wife's bravery, Warhammer 40k fan Ben Stadler spent several months secretly sculpting a diorama that immortalized his wife's heroism - with Belfast cast as the fearsome Drukhari gladiator Lelith Hesperax.
When Stadler shared pictures of the Warhammer 40k diorama and tales of Belfast's bravery on Reddit, I had to find out more - and Stadler was happy to answer my questions. First, to allay any worries you might have about Frankie, although he "Suffered puncture and crushing wounds to his skull and face", Stadler says "Our amazing vet was able to treat him and he recovered fully". Frankie is missing a leg, but that's an older injury that's not connected to this attack.
Frankie is "An absolute clown", with "Bullterrier obstinance and all of their quirks", but "The most loving and affectionate dog" who gets on with "Animals, cats, birds, dogs, and of course humans". Stadler and Belfast are "DINKS by choice, with our dog as our sole other family member".
A big fear for the pair was that "After this attack Frankie wouldn't trust dogs or humans", but "When he got home from the vet he saw a couple of his dog friends on his walk and was his same loving happy self and was confident and kind". Stadler says "It took us longer to recover emotionally than it took him to recover physically".
Stadler says that creating the diorama "Was about me processing this event and trying to let my wife know how proud of her I was." He says "I wanted this to be something healing, something that could help reframe a traumatic event" to showcase his wife's bravery.
Stadler calls his wife Belfast "An activist" who "Stands up for people… exhibits bravery and strength on a daily basis". "It would be perfectly normal to freeze, or act in her own self preservation… instead she acted heroically, and saved our dog (our child), even when the sights and sounds were bloody and traumatizing".
Stadler chose the dynamically posed Lelith Hespirax model to depict his wife as "Fearless, and strong… to reassure her that she is who she tries to be each day". The pair are both athletic coaches, and Stadler says that Belfast "Literally looks like Lelith Hesperax!"
Stadler "Made the diorama over a span of months, trying to keep it a secret". He estimates that he spent at least 200 hours working on it "From sculpting, to painting, to composition discussions with friends and scrapping the initial elements". It was a big departure from Stadler's usual projects - "I'm far more known for my kitbashing and painting desert tacticool Space Marines" - you can find his excellent Raptors Space Marine Chapter on his Instagram.
"Going into something natural and vegetative was all completely new to me", he says. The diorama even contains "The first tree I've ever made". To work on the project "I learned to create water effects, to paint nature, and to create foliage". Stadler praises Dylan of @earthworks_scenics "For helping me to get all of the foliage how I wanted".
Before handing over the finished diorama to Belfast, Stadler asked her if it might trigger any painful flashbacks to the dog attack. Happily, "She was in a good place emotionally by then, where it was a cathartic and happy moment". And "She loves Frankie's sculpt!"
If you've got a Warhammer miniature with an emotional story attached to it, or have a pet you love like a child, we'd love to see photos in the Wargamer Discord community - the off topic channel is the go to place for pet pictures. To get a weekly round up of all the best new articles on Wargamer, subscribe to our newsletter.