Shark attack victim from Alabama moved to 2nd hospital, family hopes for specialized prosthetics

DOTHAN, Ala. ( WDHN ) — A 15-year-old girl from Alabama has been moved to another hospital in hopes of having prosthetics fitted following a bull shark attack while in the Florida panhandle waters.

Lulu Gribbin was one of three women attacked by a bull shark in Walton County waters last Friday. While the first two victims, an unidentified 45-year-old woman and a friend of Gribbin’s, 17-year-old McCray Faust, walked away with relatively minor injuries, Lulu’s attack resulted in the loss of her left hand and leg.

Officials on the coast believe the same bull shark attacked the women around four miles apart. Since the attack, Lulu’s mother Ann Blair Gribbin has given daily updates on her daughter’s condition.

According to Ann Blair Gribbin’s, Lulu Gribbin was transported from Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola to another unnamed hospital via AirMed Medical Transport Jet on Thursday.

Ann Blair Gribbin stated the decision was made to move Lulu Gribbin after speaking with a specialist “who is a pioneer in multi-extremity amputees” in hopes to have her daughter fitted for prosthetics.

“We made the decision, not lightly, to have the remainder of her surgeries and re-hab done in another hospital setting,” Ann Blair Gribbin noted. “I prayed for God to help Joe (Lulu’s father) and I make the best decision for Lulu regarding her care, and we believe this will give Lulu the best opportunity to live a normal life as possible with two prosthetics. Medically this is the best option for Lulu and is another step in this journey and road to healing.”

The teen underwent one of her many surgeries on Sunday, where doctors cleaned out the wounds and flushed out any bacteria. Surgeons also began the process of closing the amputations.

In the update, Ann Blair Gribbin spoke about the heartwarming send-off that the hospital staff at Sacred Heart gave Lulu Gribbin.

“Leaving her hospital room on a stretcher, we wheeled her out into the hallway of the PICU and through the double doors. Once outside of the double doors, the halls were lined on either side for what seemed like an eternity with all the nurses and doctors who helped save Lulu, those who have been with her ever since, and those just from other parts of the hospital,” Ann Blair Gribbin recalled. “They were cheering, playing music, and spraying silly string. They gave Lulu some sully string so she could spray it too. It was an amazing feeling and send-off for our girl.”

Before departing, however, Lulu got one final surprise at Sacred Heart: a visit from a furry four-legged friend.

“The child support therapist came in today (Wednesday) with a surprise. She came in with an emotional support dog named Sherlock,” Ann Blair Gribbin wrote. “Sherlock is a golden doodle but way more golden than a doodle. The only doodle we could tell was some slight curly hair on the inside of his ears. Sherlock came onto Lulu’s bed and lay with her.”

Ann Blair Gribbin wrote Lulu and Ellie Gribbin, Lulu’s twin sister, are dog lovers and cuddled on the hospital bed with Sherlock before leaving for the transport jet.

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