A 12-year-old boy from Texas has described the harrowing moments he believed he was going to die after being attacked by a large reef shark while swimming off the coast of the Bahamas. Parker Roll was on a family vacation near Staniel Cay in the Exuma Cays when an estimated 8-to-10-foot shark clamped onto his leg.
"I just thought I was gonna die," Roll told Good Morning America. "I didn’t really feel it at first because there was so much adrenaline but I remember looking down and I just see this head and its head was well over a foot wide. I’ve never felt pain like that cause there was the salt water and huge wounds and tons of teeth marks."
The incident occurred last Tuesday during a boat tour. Parker's 16-year-old brother, Jack, spotted the shark moments before the attack, initially mistaking it for a nurse shark. However, he quickly realized the danger when his brother's screams alerted him.
"I immediately took off my swimsuit because I was like, oh we need to stop that bleeding," Jack recounted. He then wrapped the garment around his brother's leg, lifted him, and carried him toward the beach. Other individuals assisted in getting Parker onto the boat.
Without cell service or radio signal on the remote island and facing a 60-mile journey back to shore, the family relied on prayers during the trip to the hospital. "The whole boat was praying on that ride back cause it was very uncertain how it was gonna turn out," Parker's father told the outlet.
Parker underwent surgery for severe injuries to his leg and foot, receiving approximately 30 to 40 stitches. Doctors are optimistic about his recovery. The family expressed gratitude for his survival, with Parker calling his brother his hero for his quick actions in stopping the bleeding and saving his life. He acknowledged feeling lucky, recognizing that the shark could have inflicted more severe damage.
