Texas Mom Attacked by Shark on July 4th Speaks Out About Terrifying Encounter

Tabatha Sullivent shares her harrowing experience of being attacked by a shark on South Padre Island. The attack left her with severe injuries but grateful for her family’s quick actions and support.

Texas, Bollywood Fever: A Texas mother who survived a horrifying shark attack on July 4th at South Padre Island has spoken out about the terrifying experience, initially mistaking the predator for a ‘huge fish.’

Tabatha Sullivent was in the water with her daughter and husband when the shark began hunting them. They were out past a sandbar when the shark followed her to shallow water and attacked her.

“I turned around, and all I saw was something gray in the water. So, I just kicked at it, because I thought it was a huge fish, and it was coming at us. That’s when I think it grabbed my leg,” Sullivent told CBS News Texas from her hospital bed.

Shark Attack on Texas Beach: Woman Mauled and Stalked by Predator

The bull shark, known for its powerful bite, sank its teeth into her lower leg with no intention of letting go. Her husband bravely fought off the shark, jumping into the water to grab her and suffering two bites in the process.

Beachgoers pulled Sullivent out of the water, and first responders quickly arrived to tend to her gaping wound. “If my husband didn’t jump into action and everyone else on the beach, if I didn’t have people pulling me out—not just to pull me out but jumping between the shark and me—I don’t think it would’ve stopped,” she said.

A total of four people encountered the shark, with Sullivent and her husband sustaining bites while two others escaped with minor injuries. Social media footage of the attack shows Sullivent laying on the sand while a dorsal fin swims near the shoreline. Blood from her wound turned the water a dark red as first responders wrapped a tourniquet around her leg.

“My leg is pretty much gone,” she told FOX Dallas-Fort Worth roughly a day after the attack. “They flushed it out today. It’s all the way to the bone. It did not go through the bone.” Sullivent will need multiple reconstructive surgeries, but doctors are optimistic that she’ll be able to keep her leg and walk again. “I have movement in my toes and in my ankle. My bone structure is good. I’m going to probably need physical therapy for sure,” she said.

The North Texas couple were celebrating their daughter Skylar’s 15th birthday on the day of the attack, and their 16th wedding anniversary was supposed to be the day after. Despite spending their special day in a hospital, they are grateful to be alive and together. “Somebody or something was definitely looking over us for sure,” Sullivent said.

Their daughter Skylar posted an update on her parents’ condition shortly after the attack. “My mom is trying to get as much rest as she can and figure out the road ahead. Recovery will be a long process but I know she will get through it,” Skylar wrote on Facebook. A GoFundMe page was set up to help fund the couple’s recovery and has already raised nearly $25,000, rapidly closing in on its $30,000 goal.

Texas Mom Attacked by Shark on July 4th Speaks Out About Terrifying Encounter

Local officials acted swiftly to address the threat posed by the shark. South Padre Island and Cameron County Parks officials located the shark, harnessed it, and moved it back into deeper waters to prevent further incidents. Helicopter footage released by the Texas Department of Public Safety showed officials flying directly over the shark as it swam through shallow waters. The animal was not harmed during the operation, according to Captain Dowdy from Texas Parks and Wildlife. Dowdy suggested the ‘unusual’ attack was likely caused by weather changes from incoming Hurricane Beryl, expected to strike the Texas coastline as a Category 1 hurricane.

Immediately after the attack, Texas Parks and Wildlife released a statement informing beachgoers that authorities were patrolling the beach by land, boat, and air. The city also considered closing the beach entirely to the public.

In March, a 14-foot great white shark was spotted near South Padre Island, but officials are confident that the recent attacks were caused by a bull shark. This incident follows similar attacks in Walton Beach, Florida, where two teenagers and a woman were attacked by a shark early last month.

As Tabatha Sullivent faces a long road to recovery, her resilience and the support of her family and community are clear indicators of her strength and determination.


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Pooja Chauhan
Pooja Chauhan

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Pooja Chauhan is a passionate writer and dedicated journalist specializing in delivering the latest updates and insights from the world of entertainment and box office. With a keen eye for detail and a deep love for cinema, Pooja brings her readers accurate and engaging coverage of all things related to movies, celebrities, and the dynamic world of showbiz. Her commitment to keeping her audience well-informed and entertained makes her a valuable voice in the realm of entertainment journalism. When she's not busy uncovering the latest scoops, Pooja enjoys exploring classic films and indulging in creative writing."
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