A young snorkeler has lost part of his leg to a shark in the Florida Keys.
Jameson Reeder Jr., 10, was snorkeling with his family Aug. 13 off Looe Key. Around 4 p.m. he was snorkeling near the family’s boat when an estimated 8-foot bull shark grabbed his knee.
When Jameson’s mother and father heard his screams, they jumped in to help their son who was floating on a pool noodle.
They were able to pull Jameson onto the boat and made a tourniquet above his knee.
Jameson’s uncle, Joshua Reeder, said Jameson was saying “Jesus will save me, Jesus will save me” as his family called to a nearby boat.
Thankfully, a nurse was on the faster boat and the boy was transferred to it. Jameson’s mother went with her son and the Good Samaritans hurried into shore.
His two brothers and sisters sang Jesus loves me as their father rushed them to shore in the family’s boat.
A helicopter was waiting on the dock and less than an hour after the shark attack, Jameson was flown to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. Unfortunately, the injury was severe, and his leg was amputated below the knee.
The family’s faith is helping them through this tragic time and a friend has set up a GoFundMe to help with medical bills.
This is the fifth shark attack bite in the Florida Keys this year.
A 56-year-old man was bitten on the lower leg April 17 while standing on a sandbar near Whale Harbor.
Another man had serious injuries to his hand after releasing a shark July 17, Lyndsay Bruns was bitten on the leg and Fischer Hricko, 13, was lobstering in the Keys when a nurse shark grabbed his mouth.
All locations have been marked on the 2022 Shark Attack Map.
