Colorado woman bit by shark while on vacation in Florida
COCOA BEACH, Fla. --A Colorado woman was wading in waist-deep water while on vacation in Cocoa Beach, Florida, when witnesses said she was attacked by a shark, CBS Denver reported.
Jill Kruse, 28, was just 10 minutes into her beach vacation when she encountered the shark.
"I looked over at her and she said, 'Somebody help me,' and I saw the fin slap her in the face, so I reached out for her hand and pulled her onto shore," said swimmer Holly Peterson who was nearby.
Paramedics rushed Jill Kruse to a nearby hospital CBS Denver reported. Her mother, Wanda Kruse, said she warned her family about the riptide at the beach, but she never thought to mention sharks.
"She's just hurting. It's going to take a while to heal, but we're so blessed to have her," Wanda Kruse said.
According to witnesses, the shark bit the back of Jill Kruse's calf.
Wanda Kruse said that her daughter punched the shark with her fist and needed stitches for cuts. She said doctors will decide what type of surgery is needed.
CBS Denver reported that authorities in the Cocoa Beach area said although there have been no shark sightings in the area recently, large groups of bait fish have been seen about a mile from shore.