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CNN Live At Daybreak

Boy Saved From Shark Attack Could Face Brain Damage

Aired July 10, 2001 - 08:04   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the eight-year-old boy who is recovering from a shark attack in Florida. A few days ago, most Americans had never heard of Jessie Arbogast. Now, like family members, we are all waiting for updates on his condition. So here is the latest: Doctors say he could face brain damage and other injuries.

CNN's Brian Cabell is in Pensacola with more -- Brian.

BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. There has been no real change in his condition overnight. We are told he was running a temperature last night. They gave him a transfusion, and he's stabilized. His vital signs remain stable as well, but as you mentioned, there is the distinct possibility of brain damage. Doctors have told us that repeatedly.

They have said his progress from here on out will be slow, but steady. They have likened it, in fact, to the stock market: up one day, down another, up one day, down another.

Family is standing by. They are aware of the possibilities of brain damage.

Emergency operation center has released the 911 tapes from Friday evening, when the shark attacked. Here is one of those tapes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His right arm and right leg are gone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They are completely gone?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Completely gone. He has lost a lot of blood.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we need a live helicopter out here or something like that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, we've got a LifeFlight going.

You are saying that both the right arm and right leg are gone?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They are. We've got him tied up, but he's not bleeding anymore.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. We've got the ambulance and the fire department and LifeFlight going to be en route. The others are already en route, but we are sending a LifeFlight. OK?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is he breathing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He wasn't breathing, and he didn't have a pulse a minute ago.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABELL: That is the voice of the uncle who called in that night, the uncle who wrestled the shark from the water.

Once again, doctors have said that quick action by everybody -- the uncle, the aunt, the passersby, the ranger -- managed to save the boy's life that night. Now he is upstairs. He is struggling to save his own life.

I am Brian Cabell, CNN live in Pensacola, Florida.

LIN: Thank you very much, Brian, for that update.

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