A 14-year-old girl has survived a horrific shark attack off the coast of Florida, losing her arm and leg in the incident. Lulu Gribbin was swimming with friends near Seacrest Beach when the attack occurred.
Lulu recalled hearing her friend scream “Shark!” and initially tried to remain calm, as she had been taught that sharks target frantic movements. However, she soon realized the severity of the situation when she lifted her arm out of the water and saw flesh. She lost consciousness and woke up on the shore surrounded by people trying to save her life.
Her mother, Anna Blair, had been out for lunch and returned to find her daughter injured on the beach. Lulu was taken to hospital where doctors amputated her leg. She later spent 77 days at a reconstructive centre in North Carolina, learning to use prosthetics and perform everyday tasks again.
Another teenage girl was also injured in the same attack, sustaining flesh wounds to her foot. Earlier that day, a 45-year-old woman was bitten on her midsection, pelvis and left arm by a shark in the same area.
Despite the trauma, Lulu maintained a positive attitude, expressing gratitude for her recovery options. She received prosthetics earlier than expected and is now learning to adapt to life with one arm and one leg.
