Texas Woman Survives Shark Attack, Says Her Left Calf Is Gone

A woman is recalling the terrifying experience after a shark bit her and her husband at South Padre Island over the holiday weekend.

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Tabatha Sullivent was hospitalized on July 4th after a shark attacked her left leg while she was standing in shallow water. At first, she thought the shark was a “big fish” and tried to kick it away, but it grabbed her. The shark tore off a piece of Tabatha’s left calf, and she screamed for help while attempting to get back to shore. Her husband, Cary, was bitten twice by the shark while trying to help, but other bystanders assisted the couple out of the water, PEOPLE reported.

Sullivent is recovering at McAllen Hospital and will need multiple surgeries to address her injured leg. “ My leg is pretty much gone; it is all the way to the bone; it did not go through the bone,” she explained to KDFW. Despite her injury, she feels lucky to be alive.

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Four people, including the couple who were bitten, encountered the same shark on July 4. Texas Parks and Wildlife said shark encounters are not common in the state and encouraged visitors to exit the water calmly.

“Shark encounters of this nature are not a common occurrence in Texas. When bites from sharks do occur, they are usually a case of mistaken identity by sharks looking for food.If you see large schools of bait near the shore, this typically an indicator a predator is nearby, or if you see a shark in the water, calmly exit the water and wait for the predatory wildlife to pass.”

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