She Lost an Arm and a Leg in a Shark Attack, Now She is Committed to Making a Difference

In the summer of 2024, 15-year-old Lulu Gribbin was on a mother-daughter beach trip in Walton County, Florida, when she encountered a shark, and her life was forever changed. She had come down from Birmingham, Alabama, with her mom, Ann, and twin sister, Ellie, to spend a few days with friends and their mothers.

A bull shark attacked Lulu and her friend McCray Faust. The shark bit off Lulu’s left hand, and they ended up having to amputate her right leg. The girls were looking for sand dollars on the sandbar when the shark attacked.

A Year After the Attack, Lulu is Making a Difference

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Now, a year later, Lulu is making a difference in the world and living life to the fullest.

In an interview with Good Morning America, Lulu discusses that day, June 7, 2024. “It was really the perfect beach day,” she says. “There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky, and I just remember turning around and my best friend was just like screaming.”

She Never Really Saw the Shark

Lulu shares that she never really saw the shark, just a shadow. “I started swimming as fast as I could and then, like in the movies, ‘oh, you can’t be like frantic or else they're going to come after you,’ so I just stopped swimming, and the next thing I know, I raised my hand out of the water, and there was just no hand there,” she says.

She was rushed to a hospital in Pencelcola, Florida. The teenager spent more than two months in the hospital, undergoing multiple surgeries. But despite all that, the now 16-year-old hasn’t let her injuries slow her down.

She Enjoys Golfing, Water Skiing, and Running

She enjoys golfing, using a special golf attachment to her prosthetic. She also enjoys slalom water skiing, a water sport that involves using one ski to weave through a course of buoys. And she relearned how to run, hoping to compete in the Paralympic Games in track.

Not only is she able to accomplish these sports, but she is also working to change lives.

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She is Truly Making a Difference After a Shark Attack

First, with “Lulu’s Law,” which creates a federal alert system, like “Amber Alerts,” to warn others about nearby shark attacks. A bull shark attacked another woman before it attacked Lulu and McCray.

She is also launching a foundation, Lulu Strong, which will expand access to the latest technologies for individuals with amputations.

She Has a Large Support System Behind Her

Michael Strahan then asks Lulu, “Where do you think your strength comes from?”

“Knowing that I have a large support system behind me and just continuing to get better, not only for myself but for them, and show them that anything is possible. And just knowing that God decided to save me, and so just showing him that he performed a miracle on the right person,” she answers him.

What a strong young lady who has taken a tragedy and come out stronger on the other side, helping make a difference along the way.

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“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” - Deuteronomy 31:6

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h/t: ABC News

Featured Image Credit: YouTube/Good Morning America

Julie Provost is a GodUpdates staff writer and editor. She lives in Tennessee with her husband, three boys, and little dog Max. She loves to read, go to the movies, and enjoy time with family and friends.