Jaws-some! 13-year-old Florida teen swims with giant tiger shark a month after attack
Jaws-some! Florida teen, 13, braves the ocean to swim with giant tiger shark just a month after fending off a four-foot bull shark in a horrific shallow-water attack
- In May, a Florida teenager made headlines worldwide when she managed to fend off a bull shark that attacked her
- Ella Reed has now returned to the sea at the invitation of Nova Southeastern University who was tagging sharks for research
- The aspiring marine biologist, though only in eighth grade, has won a college scholarship when she’s ready to go to college
A 13-year-old girl who battled a bull shark that attacked her in shallow Florida waters has returned to the ocean to tag sharks with scientific researchers.
Ella Reed was in the shallows at Fort Pierce Beach with her friends last month when a four-foot-tall bull shark swam under her friend and attacked her.
The brave teen fought off the animal by punching it in the face and using her arms to protect its belly.
The young girl suffered injuries to her stomach, arm, finger and knee and required 19 stitches.
However, Reed, who wants to become a marine biologist one day, has returned to the sea at the invitation of Nova Southeastern University, which was tagging sharks for research in an inspirational segment that aired on NBCs today.
Ella Reed got into the water with sharks just a month after her viscous attack
The teen helped a university team tag sharks for research
Derek Burkholder Ph.D, a research scientist at the university, told Today they invited Reed because “we thought maybe that first interaction wasn’t quite the best.
“We would like her second interaction with a shark to be much more positive.”
“When I got the invitation to tag sharks, I was super excited,” Reed told the program.
“I hope to learn their behavior and more about them.”
Not only did Reed get stuck throwing bait at the sharks and tagging their fins from the boat, she also bravely swam alongside them in the water.
“The tiger shark felt like leather and sandpaper, it was really weird and the nurse shark felt like sandpaper too,” Reed said of the experience.
“Tagging the sharks was super fun, it was a lot better than the other time I had an experience with another shark.”
Ella’s mother Devin Reed said she was glad her daughter had the opportunity to interact with sharks.
Ella Reed was in shallow water on Fort Pierce Beach with her friends last month when a four-foot-long bull shark swam under her friend and attacked her
The young girl suffered injuries to her stomach, arm, finger and knee and required 19 stitches
The brave teen fought off the shark by punching the shark in the face and using her arms to protect her stomach
Not only did Reed get stuck throwing bait at the sharks and tagging their fins from the boat, she also bravely swam alongside them in the water
Ella’s mom Devin Reed said she was happy her daughter got the chance to interact with sharks
The university has offered Ella a scholarship to study marine biology with them when she is old enough to attend university
“Now that she can see marine biology and how to put that to work, and how to really make a difference.
“I hope it shows her the way in the area she wants to go.”
Although Ella is only in eighth grade, the university has offered her a scholarship to study marine biology with them when she is old enough to attend university.