A Colorado teen who was attacked by two sharks during a Belize vacation last August survived a harrowing encounter in dark waters and, just over a year later, is navigating life with a prosthetic leg.
Annabelle Carlson, 16, of Aspen, was on a family diving trip when the incident unfolded during an otherwise routine excursion. The family had returned to the surface from a 120-foot dive when the plan was to take turns jumping off the boat deck into the water. Carlson decided to go first, and the moment she hit the water a shark emerged from beneath the vessel and began biting her hands. In a tense sequence, she fought back, punching the shark about six times in an effort to free herself.
The attack intensified when, as she and rescuers tried to pull her back aboard, another shark latched onto her right leg. Onlookers began throwing oxygen tanks toward the water in an attempt to dislodge the predators while bystanders worked to help Carlson reach the boat. The situation highlighted a critical gap: the vessel’s first-aid kit did not include the life-saving equipment needed for such trauma. A tourist in the group who had a tourniquet helped apply one to her leg, a moment Carlson says likely saved her life. After they managed to reach the island, a helicopter ferried Carlson and her mother to medical care.
The ordeal set in motion a lengthy medical odyssey. Carlson was flown home to Colorado and admitted to Children’s Hospital Colorado in October with a serious infection described by her medical team as a one-in-a-million mycobacterial infection. Doctors warned that the wound was so severe that it exposed bone and tissue, and the infection proved difficult to eradicate, requiring multiple surgeries over months.
“During the shark attack, the bite extended from my ankle to just below my knee, and from there the flesh was largely gone,” Carlson later recalled. The infection and surgeries kept her hospitalized in a Miami facility before she could return home, and her doctor later described her as unstoppable as she fought through the pain and rehabilitation. Her mother, Kellie Carlson, publicly documented the emotional and medical journey, writing on social media that her daughter had endured the “unthinkable” and that the family was grateful for the life-saving actions of those who helped.
After months of treatment, Carlson faced a new reality: the leg injury was severe enough that doctors determined she would need a prosthetic limb. By late 2024, she was learning to walk again with the aid of a prosthetic and returning to activities she loves, including Pilates and running. She also resumed her love of scuba diving, telling KDVR that she had returned to the water and even posted a March update showing her diving anew with the caption, “Sharks were nice this time??.”
The family’s experience drew attention to broader questions about emergency readiness on remote dive trips and the importance of readily accessible medical equipment on boats, especially when far from shore. A GoFundMe fund-raiser associated with the Carlson family described the infection as the “mother of all infections” and highlighted the ongoing medical needs, including multiple surgeries and ongoing therapy. Carlson’s doctors lauded her resilience and noted that she has continued to push forward, returning to the water despite the trauma.
Alongside her recovery, Carlson has embraced a broader mission. She has spoken about using her experience to advocate for safety and preparedness and expressed a desire to establish a foundation that donates first-aid kits to boats and camps—a practical effort she credits with saving her life. “If I didn’t get a tourniquet, I wouldn’t be here today,” she said. Her family has described her as a fighter and a source of inspiration for others facing serious health challenges.
As the anniversary of the attack approached, Carlson and her friends marked the passage of a year with resilience and humor. Halloween last year saw a friend wearing a shark costume while Carlson dressed in a swimsuit and wrapping her prosthetic leg in a fake bloodied rag—an image she and friends posted with the caption “shark o’clock #1year.” Her mother offered a candid, hopeful reflection on the family’s journey, saying that they had learned about hope, love, strength, and community through a difficult year. The family remains focused on recovery, safety, and giving back, including plans to support others facing medical emergencies at sea or in remote locations.
Today, Carlson is back to many activities she loves, including diving. She has returned to the ocean with a prosthetic limb and continues to pursue rehabilitation and fitness routines. Her progress has captured attention as a powerful example of resilience and the capacity to reclaim life after traumatic injury, particularly for young people navigating an uncertain path after such life-changing events. In interviews and on social media, Carlson has emphasized that light remains present even after the darkest moments and that continued effort can turn struggle into opportunity. Her story—paired with ongoing medical care and a commitment to helping others—serves as a notable entry in the Culture & Entertainment landscape, illustrating how personal triumphs can emerge from profound adversity.