“It Was Just Like a Truck Hit Me”: 73-Year-Old Shark Attack Survivor Gets Her Leg Amputated, Recalls the Harrowing Incident

The deep blue ocean harbors a hoard full of dangers within its infinity. From shark attacks to whetted reefs, the turquoise waters impose a series of unprecedented threats. The sea creatures that people are most afraid of are sharks, and for a valid reason. Shark attacks are a frequent topic of news that frequently includes surfers and scuba divers. However, the chance of a shark attack is quite minimal, and diving with sharks is not seen to be a risky pastime by adrenaline-rush lovers.

The perils of the sea remain a deadly threat to anyone from novices to seasoned surfers. An expert scuba diver engaged in a touristic pastime after having a lifetime of diving adventures. Little did she know this would turn her life around being a near-death experience she never experienced.

Scuba Diving turns into the deadliest experience of life

A 73-year-old certified scuba diver, Heidi Ernst, was attacked by a shark while diving off Taino Beach in the Bahamas. The incident happened on June 7, 2023, when she was climbing a ladder to return to the boat. She struck the beast with her palm to scare it away since she could see it writhing in the water. In an interview with ABC News, Ernst recalled the incident saying, “I saw he had my or she probably, had my leg in its mouth starting to shake its head side to side.”

She further recalled the crew member asking her to get on the boat constantly. After the shark had bitten Ernst’s left calf, she somehow managed to fight it off and return to the boat. She was thankful for her friend’s quick response of promptly placing the tourniquet on the bleeding leg, saving the day. She also disclosed that as soon as she returned to the boat, she realized that her left leg was beyond saving.

After being hospitalized at the Ryder Trauma Centre in Miami, the doctors amputated Ernst’s leg as it got infected. As she reflects on the sad event that marked the beginning of her eleven-year diving odyssey, Ernst is now doing well in the hospital. Weeks after the horrifying shark attack, the scuba diver, who just completed her 500th dive in May saw that beautiful gesture of mankind.

Extended help from the well-wishers during the horrifying tragedy

Ernst’s friends created a GoFundMe campaign to aid her with medical costs, and thus far more than $11,000 of the $30,000 target has been reached. According to the funds’ website, a crew member gave the severely wounded Ernst first aid which “kept her from bleeding to death.” She was later brought to Rand Memorial Hospital before being flown by air ambulance to Miami’s Jackson Ryder Trauma Centre, where physicians had to amputate her leg due to the severity of the wound and the evident danger of infection.

Read more: Despite Jaws of Death Attacking Nearly 100 Americans Every Year, Surfers Resurfaced Reaction Will Shock You

Ernst stated that she wasn’t going to blame the shark for the attack and that she had no plans to quit scuba diving. She further added, “I don’t think this is going to hold me back.” The dangers that lay ahead regularly lead to significant injuries, despite the fact that they are the heart of sports aficionados. The ocean continues to be both the most beautiful and dangerous environment on earth, with a constant risk of a shark attack on wave chasers.

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