Quadruple shark attack victim says she tried to ‘kick’ beast before mauling ‘shredded’ her leg in Texas July 4 horror
A SHARK attack victim has recalled the horror moment that the beast savaged her.
Tabatha Sullivent was one of four people injured in a spate of attacks that rocked South Padre Island in Texas on July 4.
Horror footage captured the aftermath and showed blood-stained waters as beachgoers scrambled to help.
Sullivent, a mom, was one of the victims and she revealed that she had lost her left calf, per a GoFundMe post.
She’s admitted that she won’t have the same leg as before the attack.
Sullivent recalled the moments leading up to being savaged and said she thought the shark was initially a big fish.
She was bitten after frantically trying to kick away.
“And at that point, that’s when it bit me,” she told the NBC affiliate KXAS-TV.
“And had I not pulled my legs up, it probably would’ve got my torso or something else.”
Kyle Jud, who was on the beach at the time, described the attack as horrific.
“Beach patrol lifted her up — her calf was just gone, shredded,” he said.
Patrick Kennedy, who created the GoFundMe page, revealed Sullivent’s surgery went well.
Doctors are reportedly hopeful that they can save her leg.
He said surgeons are optimistic they can do a skin graft next week.
Sullivent’s husband Cary was also bitten but he has since been released from the hospital.
She said Cary saved her life.
“He fought off a shark for me. That’s pretty impressive,” she said.
Nereyda Bazaldua’s daughter Victoria, 18, was also bitten while in the water on July 4.
But, the teen’s injuries were not extremely severe.
“The shark pushed into her, five to six of his teeth scratched her leg,” Bazaldua told CNN.
She said the predator came out of nowhere before sinking its teeth into the leg.
Footage shared on social media showed dorsal fins in the relatively shallow water.
Patrols were put in place and warnings were issued following the spate of attacks.
There have been less than 10 shark bites reported in Texas since 2012, according to data from the International Shark Attack File.
Meanwhile, exclusive footage captured by The U.S. Sun showed a beast lurking near unsuspecting beachgoers off the coast of Miami.
Connor Graham Baker, from Ohio, was attacked while playing football on New Smyrna Beach – around 200 miles north of Miami Beach, as reported by the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
The 21-year-old was bitten on the foot but suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
New Smyrna Beach has been dubbed the shark bite capital of the world.
Experts have warned beachgoers should avoid wearing shiny jewelry because sharks could think humans are fish.
Swimmers should also avoid heading into the water at sunrise and dusk.
And, swimmers should go into the water in groups rather than alone.