RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) – A mother of three is still hospitalized in Florida after shark attack in Walton County, Florida.
Friday afternoon, authorities responded to a report of a woman being injured by a shark in the water.
“We had a 45-year-old female patient, was reportedly swimming with her husband just past the first sandbar with her husband. She received significant trauma to the midsection and pelvic area as well as amputation to her left lower arm,” said Fire Chief Ryan Crawford, South Walton Fire District.
That woman is now identified as Elisabeth Foley. She and her husband, who call Ashland home, were vacationing in Florida at the time of the attack.
“And we just started hearing, like, a bunch of emergency vehicles coming right past us and me and my friend, we were running behind them. And we got to the scene and there’s. It was like blood. It was definitely surprising and a little heart-stopping because you don’t want that to happen to anyone,” said Charlie Smith, who saw first shark attack victim on the beach.
Foley is one of three people injured in two shark attacks at neighboring Florida beaches just 90 minutes apart.
In the other attack, two teenage girls were also injured. One had significant injuries to her upper leg and one hand, and the other had minor injuries on her foot.
The attacks prompted temporary beach closures. Statistically speaking, attacks by sharks on humans are not common.
“It is rare, exceedingly rare to have three victims in one day. We understand that. But we need to make sure that we’re also using good judgment and very prudent, you know? This is not something where you shut beaches down for a week because this happened,” said Sheriff Mike Atkinson, Walton County, Florida.
Foley’s church, Winn’s Baptist, has started an online fundraiser with the goal of raising $40,000 to help cover medical and logistical expenses.
Copyright 2024 WWBT. All rights reserved.