A teenage girl who lost both a hand and a leg in a shark attack has spoken out about the last thing she remembers before the terrifying ordeal began.
Movies like Jaws have long fueled fears of what might be lurking beneath the waves, though real-life shark attacks remain extremely rare. Fewer than 100 unprovoked incidents are recorded worldwide each year, and in 2024 only four were fatal, according to the International Shark Attack File.
Still, even with such low odds, the risk exists — as 15-year-old twins Ellie and Lulu Gribbin learned firsthand during a family trip to Florida in June 2024.
A day at the beach turned nightmare
The sisters had waded into the water to collect sand dollars when they suddenly spotted a shark nearby.
“We just started swimming for our lives,” Ellie later told ABC. But when she made it back to shore, she was horrified to see the water around her stained with blood.
“The whole ocean was red. The waves were pushing the blood toward the beach,” she recalled.
Out in the water, Lulu had been attacked. The shark tore off her left hand, and doctors were later forced to amputate her right leg above the knee.
“This is really happening”
In a recent interview with Good Morning America, Lulu described the haunting moment before the bite.
“I saw a shadow, but no fin, no tail, not even eyes,” she said. Seconds later, she lifted her arm from the water and realized her hand was gone.
“I just remember thinking, ‘Whoa.’ I looked down and thought, ‘This is really happening.’”
When she finally reached the beach, Ellie stayed by her side, trying to comfort her twin while chaos unfolded around them.
“I just knew what she needed to hear at that moment,” Ellie said. “I had to be there for her.”
From survival to strength
Lulu spent two months in the hospital, enduring several surgeries and beginning a long road to recovery. Despite the trauma, she has already learned to run again — and is now training with hopes of one day competing in the Paralympics.
“I think knowing I have such a strong support system helps me keep going,” Lulu said. “I want to keep improving, not just for myself but to show everyone that anything is possible.”