Growing up in Aspen, Colo., I basically have adventure in my DNA. In the winter, I can be found skiing the snow-covered slopes of the Rocky Mountains with my younger brother and sister. During the summer, my family loves to hike. I play lacrosse at school, too.
We’re also really into scuba diving. Every year, we take a big dive trip together. Last year, we chose Belize, a tiny country in Central America on the Caribbean coast. It’s home to the Great Blue Hole—one of the world’s most famous scuba spots. Little did I know that trip would change my entire life
A dream vacation turned into a nightmare
The first couple days in Belize were a blast—swimming in the hotel pool and soaking up the sun on the beach.
On the third day, my family hopped on a boat and headed three hours offshore. My mom and I, both advanced-certified divers, explored the Great Blue Hole while my siblings snorkeled nearby. (My dad sadly had to return home for work.)
At the pristine Lighthouse Reef Atoll, we did a breathtaking 60-foot dive. We saw so many beautiful tropical fish, and we saw some sharks, too. But that didn’t faze me—we’d seen them plenty of times before.
Back on the boat, I took off my gear and jumped in the water to rinse off. That’s when the shark first attacked. Jagged, razor-sharp teeth tore into my hands. Panic surged through me as I saw the blood swirling in the water. I struggled to stay afloat.
Everyone on the boat was screaming. Someone threw me a buoy, but my hands were so mangled that I couldn’t grab it. And once they found a way to pull me in, a second shark latched onto my leg. It all happened in less than 30 seconds, but those moments changed my life forever.
The surgery that determined my fate
Somehow, they got me onto the boat. My body was in shock, I felt no pain, but I was bleeding a lot. Everyone knew that if I didn’t receive medical attention soon, I would die. A tourniquet (a tight band used to slow bleeding) kept me alive as we sped toward shore.
Since we were so far out in the ocean, it took hours to reach land. I could tell by looking at my leg that there was no way to save it. Once we finally got to the hospital, the doctors said they might not be able to save my hands either.
I was in surgery for six hours. When I woke up, my leg had been amputated, but miraculously, they managed to repair my hands. After a day in the hospital in Belize, I was flown to Miami, where I stayed for a month, undergoing more surgeries and trying to recover from the trauma.
Everything there was a blur of painkillers and exhaustion. But in the rare moments I was fully awake, reality hit hard. I’m not going to lie—there were some dark days. Being stuck in the hospital, I had plenty of time to think about how losing my leg was going to impact my life. Could I still play lacrosse? And go skiing? Or hiking? What about my friends?
Turns out my friends already knew. Someone in Belize had taken photos of me right after the attack while I was on the boat and sold them to the news. Soon, my story was everywhere. I got a ton of texts from people asking what happened. I FaceTimed and messaged with them (amazingly, I could use my hands) and kept them up to date.
My BFFs were shocked, but they were also really supportive and encouraging. It felt good knowing that they would be there for me when I got home, even though my life was going to be different than it was before. That’s real friendship.
Setbacks and settling in
After a month in Miami, I could finally go home to Colorado. But my recovery wasn’t over—I developed a serious bacterial infection from the shark bite and had to keep going back to the hospital. I even had to miss the first half of the school year.
Instead of school and sports practice, my new routine consisted of doctor’s appointments, physical therapy and rest—a major change for someone as active as me. I was given a wheelchair, but I found using crutches easier. I have been using them to get around ever since (and thanks to my new prosthetic leg, soon I won’t even need them anymore).
Since I came back, my girls have continued to show up for me, visiting me at home and in the hospital. My friend Francie and I even used my attack to inspire our latest Halloween costumes. She was a shark, and I was a shark attack victim. Dark humor? For sure, but hey, I figured I might as well get some free candy out of all this!
Kidding aside, the reality of what happened is tough to take some days. I miss my old routine. I miss just being a normal teen. But more than anything, I feel grateful. I could have died. I almost did.
A new normal
This whole ordeal has taught me so much about hope and perspective. Sure, I could dwell on the fact that I lost my leg. But I choose to focus on the fact that I am alive.
Before the accident, if you had asked me if I could make it through something like this, I would have said no way. But it took this experience to show me my own strength. So whatever challenges *you* have, know that you can find your own grit, determination and resilience to get through.
How? First, know that having a positive attitude and hopeful outlook makes everything better, no matter what you’re going through.
Next, surround yourself with people who will love you, support you and fight for you through whatever you are facing. I’m so lucky to have friends and family who lift me up and will remind me of what I’m capable of (spoiler alert: more than I ever imagined).
Now, I’m looking forward to getting back to hiking, skiing and lacrosse. I was recently able to go back to school and see my friends every day. Just the routine of it provides a normalcy I haven’t experienced since the attack.
I know settling into my new life will be a learning curve, but the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that it’s not what happens to you that’s important—it’s how you deal with it.
As for scuba diving? I’m definitely going again. I’m not afraid of the water. That might sound crazy, but I won’t let fear stop me from doing what I love (though I’m not super eager to see a Caribbean reef shark again anytime soon). Nothing will take away my adventurous spirit. No matter what happens, that’s just who I am.
Hey, girl! Just to let you know, this piece originally ran in our June/July 2025 Issue. Read our print mag for free *today* when you click HERE!
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Story by Annabelle Carlson as told to Emily Laurence.
Photos courtesy of Annabelle Carlson and family.
