Oklahoma Teen Shares Her Experience After Last Month's Shark Attack in Texas

Oklahoma Teen Shares Her Experience Shark Attack texas

By Jackelyn Cornejo , Parent Herald Jun 10, 10:40 am

Photo: (Photo : MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images )

An Oklahoma teenager and her family are speaking out after she was assaulted by a shark last month in Galveston, Texas.

Oklahoma Teen Shares Her Experience of Shark Attack

Damiana Humphrey, 19, recounted that she was waist-deep in the water when a 4 to 5-foot shark bit her hand. She described how she punched the shark until it released her.

Upon seeing her hand, she began to panic, as per her statement. Troy, her father, observed that her hand was still attached and her arm was bleeding. Damiana was taken to the hospital, where she underwent surgery on her hand.

"I severed four tendons." The woman stated that she had a large hole in the upper hand that required sewing.

According to Dr. Kesley Banks, the shark came for an examination because it was only able to see movement in murky water while searching for prey. This is what led him to proceed further. The situation was solely due to mistaken identity.

A number of shark attacks have acquired media attention in the U.S. as they near summer. In two separate circumstances in Walton County, Florida, three swimmers, including two teens, were assaulted by sharks on Friday.

Around 2 p.m. local time on Friday, the Honolulu Emergency Services reported that a 25-year-old woman was hospitalized after a shark bite off Oahu's North Shore in Hawaii, where she got emergency medical medication.

After the patient was brought to safety, emergency services arrived at the Haleiwa Small Boat Harbor. According to the agency, EMS treated her for multiple severe wounds before transferring her to the emergency room.

Earlier this month, a 46-year-old man suffered "significant" injuries after being bitten by a shark in Southern California, officials said.

While experts and officials have advised beachgoers to take precautions, such as avoiding swimming at dusk or dawn, Damiana Humphrey said the shark attack hasn't deterred her from getting back in the water.

Oklahoma Teen's Parents Rushed to Her Aid After Hearing Commotions

Damiana Humphrey found herself in the jaws of a shark while in the ocean, prompting panic about potential injuries. She narrated feeling frightened and concerned about the possible loss of her fingers or hand.

The 19-year-old was vacationing with her family in Galveston, Texas when the assault happened. Reacting quickly, she began defending herself. Her parents, Troy and Stacy Humphrey rushed to her aid upon hearing the commotion.

Upon reaching her father, she started screaming and crying. Troy explained that they allowed her to see the wound without alarming others. The shark's bite resulted in four severed tendons in Damiana's hand, which is now in a cast.

Experts suggest shark attacks are uncommon in Galveston and suspect it was likely a blacktip shark that mistook her hand for food.

Damiana's parents express pride in their daughter's bravery. "Her first instinct when she got bit was to protect her brothers and sisters, to get them out of the water first," Stacy comments.

Currently studying nursing in college, Damiana had to put her summer job at the local hospital on hold until she fully recovered.