Addison Bethea,17, had her life flipped upside down in June when she was attacked by a shark while looking for scallops close to Keaton Beach in Florida. Addison, a native Floridian, was just having another day at the beach until disaster struck. Bethea was approached by a massive shark and in an attempt to get away from the shark the young teen poked the shark in its snout, however, it wasn’t enough and the shark sunk its teeth into Bethea’s leg.
Miraculously Rhett Willingham, Addison’s brother, was swimming nearby when he heard his sister calling for help and came to her aid. Addison’s brother bravely removed the shark from his sister’s leg and placed her in his boat. He then wasted no time and applied a tourniquet to the leg that was bleeding. Addison was taken by helicopter to the hospital, but the treatment that she got from Rhett, who is an emergency medical technician and a volunteer firefighter, might very well have prevented her from passing away.
What an AMAZING kid!!
“I mean, a shark has always been there, it just happened to attack me that day. I lived 17 years without a shark attack. I’m fine with going back.” – Addison Bethea, 17
Florida Teen Has Leg Amputated After “Devastating” Shark Attack https://t.co/epKj771epC
— Christina Pushaw
(@ChristinaPushaw) July 7, 2022
Christian Headlines had more details to share about the amazing rescue:
Of her brother, Addison said, “He’s always been kind of like a hero to me. I knew once I was in trouble, he said he would get me out. He promised. So I expected nothing less.” That’s a wonderful brother-sister relationship!
Addison’s injuries to her upper right leg were extremely serious, resulting in the loss of her four quadricep muscles. Doctors determined that the best course of action was to amputate Addison’s leg just above her knee and use muscles from the lower part of her leg to repair and restore use of the remaining upper leg.
Thankfully, surgery was a success, and Addison is doing well in her recovery. She has relied on her sense of humor and her faith to get her through the initial hurdles, and she will continue to do so throughout the extensive rehabilitation.
Michelle Murphy, Addison’s mother, said, “God blessed us by allowing Addison to live and we will never lose focus on that gift.”
Addison’s mother is absolutely right! God’s gift to us is life itself and every day we are alive it’s a blessing. If you woke up this morning it’s a blessing! It’s amazing how God can use some of the worst things that have ever happened to us. God promises us in Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”
Addison Bethea’s leg will be amputated above the knee, a hospital said, after a Fourth of July weekend that included at least three shark attacks in the U.S. https://t.co/bDoPsoYgSF
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) July 4, 2022
Friends, next time you are in the midst of tragedy cry out to God to get glory out of the situation. A lot of times we pray and ask God to get us out of trials but instead we should ask him to give us the strength to endure our trials and let us learn something from them at the same time.
This story syndicated with permission from My Faith News