A woman had her calf torn off after she thought a shark swimming towards her was just a harmless 'huge fish'.
Tabatha Sullivent was enjoying a day on the beach off the southern coast of Texas, US, on Thursday (4 July) with her husband Cary and daughter Skylar to celebrate their daughter's 15th birthday when the underwater predator pounced.
She is one of four victims who were attacked on South Padre Island in a shocking incident last week.
The mum was cooling off in shallow water with her daughter at South Padre Island when they suddenly realised that something was stalking them below the surface.
Speaking to CBS News Texas from her hospital bed, Tabatha explained: "I turned around, and all I saw was something grey in the water. So, I just kicked at it, because I thought it was a huge fish, and it was coming at us.
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"That's when I think it grabbed my leg."
The beast - which is believed to have been a bull shark - sunk its jaws into her left leg and 'shredded' her calf, seeing her blood pour into the water as stunned beachgoers watched on.
Tabatha's husband sprang into action after realising what was unfolding and raced to the water, incredibly fighting off the shark - but it continued to follow them and managed to bite Cary twice too.
Onlookers then helped the couple get back on dry land while alerting emergency services.
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Tabatha recalled: "I was just screaming 'help' and trying to get to the shore. And then, even once I was on the shore. I think I was just in shock. I could feel numbness, I guess is the best way to describe it.
"If my husband didn’t jump into action and everyone else on the beach, if I didn’t have people pulling me out - not just to pull me out, but jumping between the shark and me - I don’t think it would’ve stopped."
According to Texas Parks and Wildlife officials, two people were bitten and hospitalised, while two others also suffered minor injuries - and they reckon the same shark was responsible for all four.
Tabatha and Cary spent their 16th wedding anniversary in the hospital together on Friday (5 July), the day after the attack - but the pair of them were both just grateful to be together.
"Somebody or something was definitely looking over us for sure," she said.
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The mum underwent surgery on Saturday to 'flush out' her wound, which her family said 'went well', while her husband has since been released from hospital.
Tabatha is expected to have to have multiple reconstructive surgeries, however, doctors are hopeful that she will be able to keep her leg and will be able to walk again.
She said she has movement in her toes and ankle, while adding that her bone structure is 'good'.
But the shark attack victim fears that she 'probably won't have full mobility' in the future and has set up a GoFundMe as she prepares to navigate her lengthy recovery.
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The latest update posted on the page yesterday (7 July) from Tabatha explained that she will be spending 'three days in the hyperbaric chamber' to speed up the healing process as well as two days in surgery.
She added: "I have feeling on the top of my foot but not on the bottom. We still have a long road ahead of us and there are many unknowns. I’ve started some PT and walking with a walker. Not far or long before I’m in pain. Baby steps."
South Padre Island Fire Chief Jim Pig told CBS News the shark responsible was ‘located at the south end of the island and was pushed out to deeper water’.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said the shark was said to be around six feet long, and reiterated that sharks do not typically attack people and it’s usually a case of mistaken identity.
Topics: Shark Attacks, Sharks, Animals, US News, Health
Olivia Burke