NEED TO KNOW
- An Alabama teen is opening up about how she is channeling positivity greater than a 12 months after she was attacked by a shark
- Lulu Gribbin revealed in a brand new interview that she has discovered a renewed curiosity in a number of sports activities — and hopes to in the future take part within the Paralympics
- The teenager additionally spoke about her reminiscences from the assault, which occurred whereas she was on a visit to Florida along with her mother and twin sister
An Alabama teen who misplaced two limbs in a shark assault says she is “grateful” to be alive — and is now channeling her trauma into positivity.
Lulu Gribbin was 15 years outdated when she was attacked by the shark off the shore of Walton County in Florida in June 2024. South Walton Fireplace District Chief Ryan Crawford beforehand mentioned the teenager was swimming about 4 miles away close to the primary sandbar at Seacrest Seaside on the time of the assault.
In response to Gribbin’s mom, Ann, the woman’s left hand was bitten off by the shark whereas docs needed to amputate her proper leg “midway up from her knee to her hip.”
Greater than a 12 months after the assault, Lulu spoke to ABC Information in an interview launched on Wednesday, Sept. 17. Throughout her dialog with the outlet, she mentioned turned to a number of sports activities — together with golf, slalom waterskiing and observe — for consolation.
In actual fact, she now hopes to in the future go to the Paralympics for observe. “That’s certainly one of my objectives,” she mentioned.
As ipromiseyoumedia beforehand reported, Lulu was on a mom-and-daughters’ journey along with her mom and twin sister, Ellie, on the time of the incident.
Whereas within the water, {the teenager} recalled listening to certainly one of her pals scream earlier than catching a “glimpse” of the shark that was about to assault her, ABC Information reported. “I simply noticed a shadow, however I by no means noticed a tail or a fin,” she informed Good Morning America‘s Michael Strahan. “I by no means noticed its eye.”
The following factor she knew, Gribbin pulled her left arm out of the water and realized “there was no hand there.” She mentioned didn’t really feel the shark chew her in any respect.
“I simply keep in mind being like, ‘Whoa.’ I appeared down and I used to be like, ‘That is actually occurring,’ ” she recalled.
She was out and in of consciousness when she was introduced again to shore, ABC New reported, whereas Ellie tried to maintain her calm as they waited for assist to reach.
“I simply knew, type of what she wanted and what she wanted to listen to on the time. As a result of there was a lot happening, a lot commotion,” Ellie informed the outlet. “I simply needed to be there for her.”
Lulu was then transported to Ascension Sacred Coronary heart Hospital in Pensacola, the place she underwent emergency surgical procedure. Her mother mentioned her daughter misplaced two-thirds of the blood in her physique earlier than she began to get better.
On the time, Lulu knew “my life was on the road,” explaining that she “was grateful that I received to get up that morning.” Per ABC Information, she spent two months within the hospital, present process a number of surgical procedures, together with “a focused muscle reinnervation process.”
In response to the Nationwide Library of Drugs, TMR is “used to enhance the management of higher limb prostheses.”
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Because the assault, Lulu has immersed herself in sports activities. She mentioned that she even has particular golf attachments for her prosthetics. “Typically I am going to play golf with one leg or I am going to play with my prosthetic and this leg,” she defined.
After relearning methods to run, Lulu has revealed her ambitions to compete on the Paralympics, which incorporates multisport occasions for athletes with a spread of disabilities. “Why not,” she mentioned.
Having a powerful assist system behind her has given her energy, Lulu mentioned, including that she is now targeted on getting higher “not just for myself, however for them.”
