A 13-year-old girl fought off a bull shark that bit her several times at a Florida beach, report says
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- A 13-year-old girl was in the ocean in Florida when a shark attacked her, WPTV reported.
- Ella Reed fought off the shark, which bit her multiple times and left her injured and bleeding.
- She said she plans to return to the water when her stitches are out.
A 13-year-old girl in Florida fought off a shark that bit her several times in Florida on Thursday.
Ella Reed was in the ocean by North Hutchinson Island when she was attacked by what she believes was a bull shark at least four feet long, WPTV reported.
"It went straight to me and got my stomach first, and I tried blocking it with my arm and my hand, and it kind of slipped in and got my finger and my arm, and it swooped around and got my leg again," she said.
"It didn't really hurt at first because of all the adrenaline ... we were so shocked."
Reed ran out of the water and was driven home by a friend in a golf cart.
Her mother, Devin Reed, told WPTV that, at first, she thought it was a prank. Once they realized a shark had attacked her, they took her to the hospital, where she was given stitches.
Her mother said she was impressed by how calm her daughter remained throughout the ordeal.
"There was blood everywhere, and she was more of a trooper than anyone else. We were all just shocked that it even happened. She was so calm even when we got in the hospital. She was telling all the nurses, 'You can take pictures.' She was like a pro," Devin Reed said.
"Pretty scary stuff, but thankfully she's there talking to you, and once you can see she's OK, then you calm down a bit."
Ella Reed told the outlet that the experience would not stop her from swimming in the ocean, and she planned to get back in the water as soon as her stitches were out.