An Alabama teen was attacked by a shark Friday at Rosemary Beach in Walton County, Florida, suffering serious injuries to her leg and hand, her mother writes.
She and another teenage girl were in the water up to their waists when the attack took place, according to the South Walton Fire District, WLFA reported. The other girl reportedly suffered from minor injuries to her foot, officials stated.
Two doctors, Ryan Forbess and Mohammad Ali, were on the scene when the attack took place, vacationing with their families, according to WKRG. They, along with other EMTs and nurses vacationing, reportedly rushed to help tie tourniquets on her leg and hand.
“It was amazing,” Forbess told the outlet, “Kind of just it was God’s will that everyone was there to help at the same time.”
Alabama teen loses hand and leg in shocking shark attack in Florida pic.twitter.com/Rbp0wptMjY
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) June 10, 2024
The teen’s mother, Ann Blair Gribbin, has provided more details and updates about the attack on the CaringBridge website.
First responders airlifted the teen to Pensacola where Gribbin says she was told “that the shark had bitten off [the teen’s] left hand.” The mother added that surgeons “had to amputate her right leg” to a significant degree. The teen also lost approximately two-thirds of her blood.
The teen was put on a ventilator to assist her breathing but was taken off of it Saturday when she was able to breathe without aid, Gribben adds. Doctors had planned on taking it out in around a week’s time. (RELATED: ‘I Started Punching It’: Teen Girl Fights Off Shark As It Severs Body Part)
The teen’s first words after she was settled were “I made it,” according to Gribbin.
She writes on CaringBridge that she and her daughter were visiting Florida on their “first mother daughter beach trip.” She was further down the beach when she saw people standing over someone.
After running over to the group of people, Gribbin found her daughter lying in the sand with major wounds to her leg, she writes on CaringBridge. (RELATED: New Footage Of 10-Year-Old Boy Attacked By Shark In Bahamas Shows Blood Filling Up Tank In Absolutely Horrifying Scene)
“She was lifeless her eyes closed mouth white and pale. The wound on her leg or all that was left of her leg was something out of a movie.” Gribbin writes.
The @WCSOFL Beach Marine Unit is monitoring the shoreline and the beaches today following yesterday’s incidents involving sharks in Walton County.
Deputies spotted a 14-foot hammerhead east of South County Highway 395 in Santa Rosa Beach this morning from the boat – which is… pic.twitter.com/BLi1KssozD
— Walton Co. Sheriff (@WCSOFL) June 8, 2024
Less than two hours before the attack, a woman was attacked by a shark near WaterSound Beach two miles distance from Rosemary Beach, according to officials, WLFA reported. Her injuries were reportedly severe and required the amputation of a portion of her arm, according to South Walton Fire Chief Ryan Crawford.
Walton County Sheriff’s deputies discovered a 14-foot hammerhead shark close to Santa Rosa beach on Saturday, but do not know if that was the shark behind either attack, according to the outlet.
The beaches are open to the public after being shut down by officials following the attacks, according to WAFF.
