TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The teenager who was attacked by a 9-foot shark last week was set to undergo her third surgery Tuesday, according to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.
A post by Tallahassee Memorial Hospital said Addison Bethea, 17, would be getting her right leg partially amputated in a Tuesday surgery after suffering a “devastating” injury that left her without her quadriceps.
Addison was attacked while scalloping off the coast of Keaton Beach, according to authorities. The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office said a family member had to jump into the water and beat the shark off of the teenager.
However, by the time it let go, the shark caused extensive nerve and vascular damage.
The hospital said Sunday that Addison would be having her leg amputated above the right knee Tuesday.
“This is the best-case scenario for Addison, and the best option to get her back to the most normal life possible,” said Michelle Murphy, Addison’s mother.
The hospital said surgeons tried to save as much of the teenager’s leg as possible by using tissue from her lower leg to reconstruct her upper leg, allowing Addison to use a prosthetic limb once she recovers.
Murphy said her daughter, a cheerleader and tennis player, was emotional about losing her leg but accepted it as the best course of action.
“She’s embracing it and trying to keep a positive outlook,” she said,
Addison’s family created an online fundraiser to help with medical expenses. As of this report, the fundraiser made $31,000 of its $40,000 goal.
