17-year-old Addison Bethea was scalloping near Keaton Beach, about 5 feet in the water when a shark came up and bit her in the leg. Witnesses and authorities say that the shark was about 9 feet long.
“And the next thing I know something latches onto my leg and I was like that’s not right. And then I look and it’s a big old shark,” she told “Good Morning America” from her hospital bed in an exclusive interview airing Saturday morning. “Then I remember from watching Animal Planet to like…punch [it] in the nose or something like that. And I couldn’t get around to his nose the way he bit me.”
Her brother, Rhett Willingham, who is an emergency medical technician, isolated Addison from the shark. According to her family, Addison was then rowed to shore by a good Samaritan.
Addison had to be airlifted to the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital which documented her in “critical condition”. She had to have an emergency surgery and is scheduled to have another one on Saturday.
Aside from her current situation, Addison is excited to go back to the ocean.
“Don’t be scared of the ocean,” she said. “I had so many people comment on my Instagram saying, ‘I’m so scared of the ocean now.’ But I’m still going to get in the ocean when I heal and get better. I’m still going to do what I love, don’t just let fear overtake your life.”
Florida holds the record for having the most shark attacks from any state in the US. In 2021, 28 out of 73 attacks were from Florida.
“Swimmers and scallopers are cautioned to be alert, vigilant, and practice shark safety,” the sheriff’s office added. “Some rules to follow are: never swim alone, do not enter the water near fishermen, avoid areas such as sandbars (where sharks like to congregate), do not swim near large schools of fish, and avoid erratic movements while in the water.”
Sources:
https://abcnews.go.com/US/shark-attack-florida-beach-leaves-teenage-girl-injured/story?id=86057289
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/shark-attack-florida-teen-will-lose-leg-brother-rescued-her/
“And the next thing I know something latches onto my leg and I was like that’s not right. And then I look and it’s a big old shark,” she told “Good Morning America” from her hospital bed in an exclusive interview airing Saturday morning. “Then I remember from watching Animal Planet to like…punch [it] in the nose or something like that. And I couldn’t get around to his nose the way he bit me.”
Her brother, Rhett Willingham, who is an emergency medical technician, isolated Addison from the shark. According to her family, Addison was then rowed to shore by a good Samaritan.
Addison had to be airlifted to the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital which documented her in “critical condition”. She had to have an emergency surgery and is scheduled to have another one on Saturday.
Aside from her current situation, Addison is excited to go back to the ocean.
“Don’t be scared of the ocean,” she said. “I had so many people comment on my Instagram saying, ‘I’m so scared of the ocean now.’ But I’m still going to get in the ocean when I heal and get better. I’m still going to do what I love, don’t just let fear overtake your life.”
Florida holds the record for having the most shark attacks from any state in the US. In 2021, 28 out of 73 attacks were from Florida.
“Swimmers and scallopers are cautioned to be alert, vigilant, and practice shark safety,” the sheriff’s office added. “Some rules to follow are: never swim alone, do not enter the water near fishermen, avoid areas such as sandbars (where sharks like to congregate), do not swim near large schools of fish, and avoid erratic movements while in the water.”
Sources:
https://abcnews.go.com/US/shark-attack-florida-beach-leaves-teenage-girl-injured/story?id=86057289
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/shark-attack-florida-teen-will-lose-leg-brother-rescued-her/
