It was just another Friday in June. The water at WaterSound Beach in Florida was that perfect, clear turquoise the Panhandle is famous for. Elisabeth Foley, a mother of three from Virginia, was doing exactly what thousands of other tourists were doing on June 7, 2024: enjoying the Gulf.
Then everything changed.
The Elisabeth Foley shark attack wasn't just a freak accident; it was part of a terrifying afternoon where three people were mauled in two separate incidents within hours. Honestly, it sounds like a movie script. But for Lis (as her friends call her), the reality involved a fight for her life and a recovery that has required more than 25 surgeries.
The Moment of the Strike at WaterSound
Lis was swimming with her husband, Ryan, and their teenage kids. She described seeing a "huge dark mass" behind her. At first, she thought it looked like a torpedo. Instinct kicked in. She tried to swim toward the shore, but the shark was faster.
It bit her first between the legs, targeting her midsection and groin. The pain was searing. In a move of pure survival instinct, Lis remembered hearing that you should punch a shark in the nose. She threw a left hook.
She missed the snout.
The shark clamped down on her hand instead. It pulled her underwater, and for a second, she truly believed she was going to die. She prayed. When she finally surfaced, her left hand was gone. She could see four inches of white bone protruding from her arm. It’s the kind of detail that sticks with you because it's so raw.
How Strangers Saved Her Life
If you’ve ever wondered if people are inherently good, look at what happened on that beach. Ryan Foley pulled his wife toward the sand, screaming for everyone to get out of the water. Suddenly, a group of vacationing medical professionals—total strangers—ran toward the blood.
Among them were Abby Juedemann, a nurse, and Rylee Smith, a paramedic. They were just on a girls' trip. They didn't have their gear. They used beach towels and whatever they could find to create makeshift tourniquets. Someone even rubbed sand on Lis's face to keep her conscious while they waited for the medevac.
Without those specific people on that specific beach, the Elisabeth Foley shark attack would likely have been a fatal headline. She had lost a massive amount of blood.
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The Long Road to Recovery
Lis was airlifted to HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital. The injuries were catastrophic. Her left hand had to be amputated mid-forearm. Her midsection, right leg, and pelvic area were "in shreds," according to her daughter.
After being stabilized in Florida, she was transferred back home to Virginia to be treated at Chippenham Hospital in Richmond.
Think about that. 44 days in the hospital. 18 surgeries in just that first stretch. Eventually, that number climbed to 25. Doctors had to perform multiple debridements—basically deep cleaning the wounds—to prevent infection and prepare for skin grafts.
The Battle for the Myoelectric Hand
By early 2025, a new hurdle appeared: the insurance company.
Lis needed a myoelectric prosthetic hand. Unlike a basic "hook" prosthesis that works via shoulder movements, a myoelectric hand uses electrical signals from your own muscles to move the fingers. It costs about $73,000.
Her insurance denied it, calling it "medically unnecessary."
It’s a bit of a gut punch, right? A woman loses her hand fighting off a shark, and the paperwork says she doesn't "need" a high-tech replacement to return to her job as a barista. Fortunately, the public stepped up. A GoFundMe raised over $80,000, allowing her to get the hand by January 2025.
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Why This Specific Attack Was Different
Shark experts, like those at the International Shark Attack File, noted that the June 7 attacks were an anomaly. Most bites happen at dawn or dusk. These happened in the middle of a sunny afternoon.
There was also a second attack just four miles away, less than two hours later, involving two teenagers. While we don't know for sure if it was the same shark—likely a bull shark—the cluster of attacks caused a temporary shutdown of local beaches and a massive spike in "shark fever" across social media.
What We Can Learn from Lis Foley
Lis returned to the Florida hospital a year later to speak at a Trauma Survivors Event. She’s been incredibly open about the mental toll. She tells people it’s okay to mourn the "old you."
You have to feel the sadness before you can find the upside.
Her story isn't just about a shark; it's about the "miracles in the making" that happen when strangers refuse to look away. If you are heading to the Gulf, the takeaway isn't to live in fear, but to be aware.
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Safety steps for beachgoers:
- Don't swim alone. Ryan was right there to pull Lis out.
- Avoid wearing shiny jewelry. It can look like fish scales to a predator.
- Stay out of the water if you have an open wound. Sharks can smell blood from miles away.
- Watch the flags. Pay attention to local beach safety warnings regarding marine life.
- Know basic first aid. The tourniquets used on Lis are the reason she is alive today.
The Elisabeth Foley shark attack ended with a loss of a limb, but it also started a new chapter of resilience. She is back home, walking, and using her new prosthetic hand to regain her independence.
For those looking to stay updated on shark safety or support similar causes, checking local beach patrol reports and supporting trauma survivor networks are the most effective ways to turn awareness into action.