A TEENAGER came face to face with death and survived after fighting off two sharks while on holiday.
Annabelle Carlson, 16, had her hands torn apart and a chunk of her leg ripped off after a run-in with two Central American sharks in August last year.
NBCAnnabelle survived a savage shark attack on the Belize coast[/caption]
NBCShe punched one of the attacking sharks six times[/caption]
NBCShe was airlifted to Miami Hospital after the attack[/caption]
The teen was holidaying in Belize with her family on a “big fun vacation of the summer”.
Three days into the trip, Annabelle and her mum went diving 120ft down into the ocean.
Annabelle said her family loved scuba diving and were all certified divers.
“There were probably like three or four sharks that we saw, and we also saw some really cool fish,” she told KDVR.
Following the dive, the family climbed back into the boat where Annabelle and her siblings took turns jumping from the top deck into the water.
“I would never anticipate I would be attacked by a shark, but here I am,” she said.
“I decided to go first and when I jumped and hit the water, a shark came from under the boat and started biting my hands.”
Recounting the terrifying attack, Annabelle said she punched the shark six times.
“We were face to face and it was only biting my hands at this point,” she said.
“The other dive group was still in the water as this happened, they threw me a life ring.
“My hands were pretty mangled so I couldn’t really grab it but I did a loop with my arms,” she added.
Annabelle said the dive group began pulling her in, but another shark appeared, and bit her right leg.
Horrified onlookers began throwing oxygen tanks at the shark, attempting to get it off Annabelle and pull her back to the safety of the boat.
“That’s when we realised that the boat itself, the first aid kit, didn’t actually have the right medical equipment for life-saving measures,” she said.
“So this guy – who I’m so thankful for – that was a tourist in our dive group, threw me a tourniquet that he had.”
“They put that on my leg to stop the bleeding.”
NBCAnnabelle’s leg and hands were left with severe injuries following the attack[/caption]
NBCStaying awake after the attack was the ‘hardest thing’ Annabelle has had to do[/caption]
For the hour and a half boat ride back to the island, Annabelle described a gruelling journey, fighting to remain conscious.
When they reached the mainland, a helicopter and emergency crew rushed her to hospital.
Annabelle said trying to stay awake was “the hardest thing” she’d ever had to do.
“At that point, I didn’t really realise that me falling asleep would mean falling unconscious and possibly not making it out,” she said.
Just days after the horrific attack, Annabelle’s mum Kelly Carlson, wrote an update on Facebook about the ordeal.
“One week ago today my beautiful girl endured the unthinkable,” she wrote.
“As many of you know already, Annabelle was the victim of a brutal shark attack while we were on vacation in Belize.
“I’m so thankful this story doesn’t end here,” she continued.
“She’s a fighter, a survivor and an inspiration all in one. I’m forever grateful to everyone who kept her alive in the last week through science and prayer.”
Kelly continued to say she was “so lucky” to still give her daughter kisses and comfort her through the pain.
“She’s a warrior and she will get through this,” the post finished.
Annabelle spent the following month in Miami Hospital, but only realised something was wrong with her leg when she returned home.
“The shark, when it bit me, the bite was from my ankle to just below my knee,” she said.
“And from there, this is kind of like graphic, but it was mostly just bone.”
Annabelle said the shark “took all the flesh”.
“I guess that big of an open wound gave way to an infection,” she said.
NBCAnnabelle ended up losing her leg to the infection[/caption]
NBCShe said she believed ‘everything happens for a reason’[/caption]
She was rushed to the Children’s Hospital in Colorado with a “one in a million” mycobacterial infection.
Dr Julia Sanders described it as “the mother of all infections”.
“It’s hard to control, time consuming to fight and unpredictable,” she said.
Dr Sanders said the hospital has had to take Annabelle “back for multiple surgeries because of the infection”.
“That has just set her back again and again,” she said.
“But she’s already back running on a prosthetic limb and working out.
“She does Pilates, she’s just an incredible kid.”
Annabelle has managed to maintain her sense of humour despite the painful journey that led to the loss of her right leg.
FacebookAnnabelle still found the humour in life despite the horrific attack[/caption]
FacebookShe has continued to live life, despite losing her right leg[/caption]
Only two months after the attack, Annabelle’s friend donned a shark costume while she wore a swimsuit with her leg wrapped in a fake bloody rag for Halloween.
Annabelle and her friends also posed for photos with a cake covered in gummy sea creatures and red food colouring (to mimic blood), with the post captioned “Shark o’clock #1year”.
Annabelle’s mum returned to Facebook with an update post on August 6, saying the date would “stick with them forever”.
“It’s really hard to comprehend that one year ago today I almost lost my girl,” she said.
“As a family, we’ve learned so much about hope, love, strength and community.”
She said Annabelle “reminds her to keep seeing the light, not the darkness”.
Since the attack, Annabelle pledged to work toward starting a foundation to donate first aid kits to boats, campsites and those in need.
“That’s what saved my life,” she said.
“If I didn’t get a tourniquet, I wouldn’t be here today.”
Annabelle said “everything happens for a reason and you’re always going to make it out of it”.
“There’s always going to be a light at the end of the tunnel,” she said.
Annabelle has since returned to the ocean and diving since the attack.
NBCAnnabelle has since returned to diving[/caption]
FacebookHer mum said the date would ‘stick with them forever’[/caption]
FacebookShe wants to start a foundation that supplies proper first aid kits to those who need them[/caption]