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Boy, 12, Expected to Keep Foot After Texas Shark Attack
Filed under: In The News
We think most of us can pretty much agree that sharks are best viewed during a dedicated week on the Discovery Channel.
Because viewing them in person, well, that's just asking for trouble. Ask Nicholas Vossler. The 12-year-old boy from Texas was playing in the water during a family vacation near Port Arthur on July 7, when he almost had his left foot chomped off by a bull shark, "Today" reports.
"We were swimming in the surf, you know, just having a good time," Nicholas tells the news show. "I was waist-deep in water, and a shark came up and bit my foot."
Family friend Mark Constien, who was also on the trip, saw the boy bleeding on a sandbar and picked him up, according to "Today."
"I saw his mangled foot and a lot of blood," the boy's dad, Cecil Vossler, tells the show. "I know God was with us, because we thought clearly; after the first shock, you know, you snap out of that and start thinking clearly."
Alisha Vossler, Nicholas's mom, waved down a boat to take the boy to shore, where a helicopter soon picked him up, and his dad wrapped his shirt around the foot to ease the bleeding, "Today" reports.
"When I put his head in my lap, he said, 'Mom, you need to start praying,' " Alisha Vossler tells the show.
The prayers worked -- Nicholas is expected to keep his foot.
"The prognosis is good; I think he's going to come back and have a functional foot," Dr. Charles Cox of Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston tells NBC.
Want to read more about Nicholas? He's started a blog, nicholasbitesback.com, to share his fish tales.
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ReaderComments (Page 2 of 2)
7-16-2011 @ 2:08AM
NOT Pro Tom But... said...People have to remember that when they choose to swim in the ocean, they're playing in the shark's dinner plate. Also, the chances of a shark attack are SO rare! But anything is considered an "attack". Even when a person is simply grazed (NO teeth) by a shark.
Reply
7-16-2011 @ 3:09AM
salemslot9 said...he could lose the use of his foot...how would you feel if you lost one of your feet?!
Reply
7-16-2011 @ 4:45AM
mike said...Im suprized it doesnt happen more those watwers are full of sharks the person that said it wasent brutal bet if it was YOUR foot be a diffrent story
Reply
7-16-2011 @ 8:58AM
GB said...Blessings to the boy and his family.
Reply
7-16-2011 @ 8:12AM
Grandma Gayle said...At our house, there was always "free time".... when no tv, video games, phone calls, etc. were allowed. However, with other activities (dance, soccer, band, etc), sometimes the free time was just wishful thinking. My kids learned to value that time. They could read, listen to music, create, etc. That would be a great time for your daughter to read the mags and make "inspiration" collages. A spiral notebook, markers, and a glue stick is all needed... maybe some cool stickers. She can scrapbook and enjoy.
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