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CNN Live Sunday

Shark Attack Victim Is on His Way to Recovery

Aired July 08, 2001 - 16:07   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.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: In Pensacola, Florida, an 8-year-old Mississippi boy is in critical but stable condition today after surgeons labored for 12 hours to reattach his severed right arm. The boy lost the arm during a savage shark attack on Friday in the Gulf of Mexico. Seven-foot long bull shark attacked the boy just 15 feet from shore. His uncle freed him and then wrestled the 250-pound shark ashore.

Lifeguard Tony Thomas has this account.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY THOMAS, LIFEGUARD: We could see that the arm was in the shark's mouth. And so, everybody backed up and the shark -- the park ranger brought out his pistol and shot the shark.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KELLEY: An ambulance took the arm to the hospital, where it was reattached. The shark also mauled the boy's leg. And joining us on the phone right now is Dr. Greg Smith. He is the assistant medical director for Baptist Flight. He was there on the scene and responded and was on the medical helicopter.

Dr. Smith, can you tell us what you did to help preserve and to take care of this arm on the way to the hospital?

DR. GREG SMITH, BAPTIST FLIGHT: Well, initially, the arm was not with us. Our concern was with the boy who was quite critical. In fact, he was without a pulse and having CPR done at the time.

We loaded boy in the helicopter first, asked about the arm, and it was not yet available. We didn't know where it was, in fact. And it was later that it was found still inside the shark. And as we were lifting off, they retrieved the arm from the shark and sent it by ambulance to the hospital and it met us there soon after we arrived with the boy.

KELLEY: And when you got the boy to the hospital, what did you do for him? Did you have to wait, or did you know whether or not the arm was coming? You say you didn't know where it was.

SMITH: Well, we got the word by radio that they had recovered the arm, and they had properly preserved it and kept it cold and moist in damp sterile towels and delivered it quite quickly, but at that point, we still weren't...

KELLEY: What kind of shape -- I'm sorry, excuse me, what kind of the shape was the arm in, and where was it -- was it -- is it at the shoulder that it was bitten off?

SMITH: The arm was bitten fairly cleanly, right -- what we call mid-humerus, which is in the middle part of the upper arm, so probably about six inches below the shoulder. It was a clean cut, and the arm was in a remarkably good condition, not a lot of tissue lost. There was some damage to one of the fingers, and otherwise it was in a remarkably good condition.

KELLEY: How about the leg injury? We are just hearing a little bit more about that, we hear that there was quite a chunk that was taken out of his right leg. What do you know and can tell us about that today?

SMITH: The leg injury was really impressive and involved -- if you can picture, all of the muscles on the front of the thigh were basically gone in one big bite, and that of course is something we can't recover and can't repair. So I'm not sure how he is doing now, but that obviously was a less devastating injury, but certainly a serious one.

KELLEY: Do you, Dr. Smith, have any information at this point -- I know it's very early -- we hear that he is critical but in stable condition, and that he is actually recognizing family and we don't hear of any signs of infection -- but do you have any information on rehabilitation for this little boy and how long that might take?

SMITH: Well, at this point, from what I have heard -- and I have heard exactly the same thing that you have, some very encouraging signs that he is awake and is recognizing his family -- but at this point, it's a wait and see, because he was unconscious and without a heartbeat for so long. It's really just a matter of waiting and seeing how much damage was done, but it's very encouraging so far.

KELLEY: Well, that is good news. We will stick on that encouragement and hope certainly for the best. Thank you very much, Dr. Greg Smith.

SMITH: You're very welcome.

KELLEY: The assistant medical director for Baptist Flight. Thanks.

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