Colorado Teen Survives Rare Shark Attack During Family Vacation

Colorado Teen Survives Rare Shark Attack During Family Vacation

Aspen, CO – A 16-year-old Colorado girl, Annabelle Carlson, survived a terrifying shark attack while on a family vacation in Belize in August 2025. Carlson, an experienced scuba diver, was attacked by two sharks after jumping off a boat during a family outing.

Carlson described the first shark biting her hands as she hit the water, prompting her to fight back with punches. As rescuers threw a life ring, another shark bit her right leg. Fellow divers used oxygen tanks to fend off the shark until Carlson could be pulled onto the boat. Lacking proper first aid supplies, a fellow tourist applied a tourniquet that likely saved her life.

She endured a grueling hour-and-a-half boat ride to an island, where emergency responders airlifted her to a hospital. Carlson spent a month in Miami receiving treatment, but an infection later forced her to undergo multiple surgeries in Colorado. Doctors described the infection as a rare “one-in-a-million” mycobacterial case. Despite losing significant tissue from her leg, Carlson has returned to physical activity, including running on a prosthetic limb, Pilates, and even scuba diving.

Carlson credits her survival to quick thinking, medical intervention, and a tourniquet from a fellow tourist. Inspired by her experience, she plans to start a foundation to provide first aid kits to boats and camps.

“Everything happens for a reason, and you’re always going to make it out,” Carlson said. Her resilience and determination are a testament to the human spirit, proving that even in the face of life-threatening danger, courage and quick action can save lives.