A Florida student who is also a model says she feels lucky to be alive after being bit by a shark.
The 19-year-old was swimming with nurse sharks while on vacation in the Bahamas.
Her boyfriend’s father took a picture of one of the sharks biting down on her wrist before it pulled her under the water.
“It seemed safe. And you know, I had seen all these photos, so I totally thought it was okay,” said Katarina Zarutskie, a nursing student at UM.
In an instant it all changed.
“All of the sudden it felt like 15 different people were squeezing on my wrist really really hard,” she said.
A shark clamping down on her wrist.
Her boyfriend’s father was taking photos, capturing that very moment.
“Next thing I knew, I was underwater, I felt this and adrenaline just kicks in,” she said.
She says she covers her bleeding wrist and rushes to dry land.
The man who owns the marina says nurse sharks are normally docile but says those sharks could have been feeding, so Katarina’s exposed fingers and limbs might have been tempting.
She still has some scars and says she’s always had a healthy respect for nature, but even more so now.
“You really need to respect them in their home and if you do go swim with them I think if you have the opportunity you do have to take in consideration the risks and also just maybe not lean back,” she said.
Katarina says she grew up surfing in Southern California so she was able to remain calm.
Doctors told her she still has pieces of shark teeth in her arm.
- POLICE: RICHMOND HOMEOWNER SHOOTS INTRUDER SEVERAL TIMES
- DOGS SWIPE MAIL CARRIER’S LUNCH AND REACTION GOES VIRAL
- STARBUCKS EMPLOYEE FIRED AFTER MOCKING STUTTERING CUSTOMER
- VIRAL VIDEO: WHITE MAN CHALLENGES BLACK FAMILY’S POOL MEMBERSHIP
- MAN DIES AFTER GETTING SUCKED INTO DELTA DRAIN PIPE IN STOCKTON