13-year-old comes face-to-face with a shark and has to fight for her life (+VIDEO)
Spending a few hours at the beach relaxing, enjoying the sun, being in good company and taking a dip every now and then is something that many people like to do. We all know how important it is to get out in the fresh air every so often. The sun and sea water are good for us too - in moderation, of course. It's too bad then, that this natural beauty can have hidden dangers.
The teen girl at the center of this story knows this very well, having had a rather "interesting" face-to-face encounter with an inhabitant of the deep. Here is her story:
via NBC News
Sharkcrew/Wikimedia - Not the actual photo
Ella Reed is a 13-year-old young woman who lives in Fort Pierce, Florida, and is at the centre of this unsettling story. Fascinated by the marine world, the young woman dreams of becoming a biologist one day. In the meantime, and living only a few steps from the beach, Ella enjoys spending time swimming in the sea and enjoying the environment.
One day, while Ella was at the beach with a friend of hers swimming, things took a decidely dangerous turn. Ella was attacked by a bull shark.
"I remember how very sudden it all was. He first bit me in the stomach and I could hardly breathe. I was holding my breath, I was in disbelief and I couldn't understand what was happening. Then I realized I was being attacked by a shark and tried to defend myself as best I could. I blocked the next attack with one arm, while I swung at the shark with the other," Ella recounted.
Ella's courage and quick reflexes not only saved her life, but also the life of her friend. While fighting the shark, Ella also yelled at her friend to get away and save herself. Unfortunately, the 13-year-old did not emerge unscathed from the incident and needed 19 stitches for the wounds she sustained to her stomach, legs and other parts of her body.
Yet, despite everything, Ella has no intention of staying away from the sea. Indeed, she is still convinced that she wants to work as a marine biologist one day in the future.
NB: the video contains potentially upsetting images.
Immediately after the attack, Ella contacted her brother and mother, Devin Reed, for help. "At first, I thought she was joking. I didn't think she was serious, but then she showed us the wounds on her body and we rushed around to her. We immediately took her to the emergency room and made sure that she was out of danger," Ella's mother said later.
Devin also said that she was very proud of her daughter for how she dealt with the situation, for her courage in trying to keep her friend safe and also for the mature way in which she's coping with the aftermath of the attack. After all, remaining "calm" and being able to deal with an incident like this is not easy, but Ella succeeded and managed to save herself.
All that remains is to wish Ella the best for her future and that it does not hold any other incidents of this nature.
