On July 1, interviewers from “Good Morning America” interviewed a 17-year-old girl who survived a shark attack that occurred at the Keaton Beach in Florida’s Taylor County.
According to abcNEWS, the shark attack happened when Addison Bethea was in about 5 feet of water. “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,” said Addison. After the 17-year-old teenager was badly bitten on her right leg, she was immediately airlifted to the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, which is 80 miles northwest of Keaton Beach.
Addison’s brother, Rhett Willingham, saw his sister and hurried over to help. “She came back up and I saw, like, the blood and everything, and I saw the shark. …So then I swam over there, grabbed her, and then pushed them all, kind of trying to separate them. And he just kept coming. So I grabbed her, swam backwards and kicked him and then yelled for help,” Willingham said later on. “We want to express our gratitude and appreciation to the Good Samaritans that took immediate action and personal risk to assist the swimmer,” Pacfic Grove police said. “We thank our partners at the U.S. Coast Guard and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. In addition, we thank our CERT [Community Emergency Response Team] members who responded to help with the beach closures to keep the community safe.”
Soon, a kind person brought Willington and her sister to the shore. While Willingham and his sister were on the boat, he helped his sister put on a tourniquet.
“Swimmers and scallopers are cautioned to be alert, vigilant, and practice shark safety,” the sheriff’s office said. According to abcNEWS, the hospital said that Addison has arranged her second surgery on Saturday to investigate more of the damaged leg and hope to save her leg. “Addison has a long journey to recovery, but she was om good spirits today, surrounded by her family in Tallahassee Memorial’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit,” the hospital said.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/US/shark-attack-florida-beach-leaves-teenage-girl-injured/story?id=86057289
According to abcNEWS, the shark attack happened when Addison Bethea was in about 5 feet of water. “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,” said Addison. After the 17-year-old teenager was badly bitten on her right leg, she was immediately airlifted to the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, which is 80 miles northwest of Keaton Beach.
Addison’s brother, Rhett Willingham, saw his sister and hurried over to help. “She came back up and I saw, like, the blood and everything, and I saw the shark. …So then I swam over there, grabbed her, and then pushed them all, kind of trying to separate them. And he just kept coming. So I grabbed her, swam backwards and kicked him and then yelled for help,” Willingham said later on. “We want to express our gratitude and appreciation to the Good Samaritans that took immediate action and personal risk to assist the swimmer,” Pacfic Grove police said. “We thank our partners at the U.S. Coast Guard and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. In addition, we thank our CERT [Community Emergency Response Team] members who responded to help with the beach closures to keep the community safe.”
Soon, a kind person brought Willington and her sister to the shore. While Willingham and his sister were on the boat, he helped his sister put on a tourniquet.
“Swimmers and scallopers are cautioned to be alert, vigilant, and practice shark safety,” the sheriff’s office said. According to abcNEWS, the hospital said that Addison has arranged her second surgery on Saturday to investigate more of the damaged leg and hope to save her leg. “Addison has a long journey to recovery, but she was om good spirits today, surrounded by her family in Tallahassee Memorial’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit,” the hospital said.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/US/shark-attack-florida-beach-leaves-teenage-girl-injured/story?id=86057289
