A teen attacked by a shark off the coast of Florida was afraid for her life until her brother, who was swimming by her side, sprang into action. Their family now believes that God had a hand in her rescue and recovery.
Addison Bethea, 17, was scalloping in the water off Keaton Beach on June 30, when she was attacked by a 9-foot shark. She suffered a devastating injury to her upper right leg, including the loss of her quadriceps, the four muscles in the front of the thigh that work together to keep the kneecap stable and allow for lower leg extension.
Hearing her scream for help, her brother, Rhett Willingham, a firefighter and EMT, rushed to his sister’s aid and physically separated her from the shark. With the help of nearby boaters, she was pulled out of the water into a boat and then driven to safety. Her brother and the local boaters also applied a tourniquet to control the bleeding. Addison was then airlifted to the Bixler Trauma & Emergency Center at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.
Later, Addison’s mom, Michelle Murphy, who resides in Satellite Beach, got a call about her daughter’s attack.
“I froze for a moment ... Addison lives four hours away from me, so I had to consider what I needed to pack and how long I would be gone. I had no idea at that time how bad the shark bite was,” Michelle told The Epoch Times.
She called her husband, Mike, and Addison’s oldest brother, police officer Jarrett Willingham, to accompany her on the long drive to Perry, where Addison lives with her father, Shane Bethea. When they arrived, they saw the extent of Addison’s near-fatal injuries.
It was Taylor County’s first recorded shark attack.
After arriving at the hospital, Addison underwent four surgeries. Her right leg was amputated just above the knee, and preserved muscular tissue and skin from the lower leg were wrapped around her femur in preparation for a prosthesis, which Michelle believes is key to Addison having an “even better quality of life going forward.”
The family credits faith for playing a huge role in dealing with Addison’s ordeal.
“God had his hand in this from the moment Addison was bitten by the shark,” Michelle said. “We know it’s a miracle she is alive because when the shark bit her it got her femoral artery in her right leg; most people die within minutes from that type of injury. It was a blessing that her brother, Rhett, was there.
“Boater Christopher Leggett is the one who pulled her from the water. Another boater, Domenic Scorpio, drove Rhett and Addison to Keaton Beach in his boat. Both are men of faith. It is amazing they were present in the area that day, and didn’t hesitate to come to their aid. Addison was also blessed by having an amazing medical team.”
Upon her discharge from the hospital after 17 days of physical therapy, a smiling Addison, on crutches, addressed the media.
“Never give up, even when it’s super hard. Just keep pushing forward,” she said, expressing her gratitude to her local community for their ongoing support.
At the end of August, Addison visited Prosthetic and Orthotic Associates (POA) in Orlando to be fitted for a custom prosthetic leg. Her family described the 30-strong team at POA, ten of whom are amputees themselves, as “remarkable.”
In mid-September, Addison even attended her first day of senior year with her prosthetic leg fitted.
