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A Canadian woman who lost both her hands was in “hip deep clear water” when a “seven-foot bull shark” first bumped into her legs before circling and biting her thigh, according to a family member.
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The victim’s brother-in-law created a GoFundMe to support the 55-year-old unnamed woman and her husband, identified as Ralph Chevarie, and said she had just left the beach to join her husband in the shallows when the “shark came at” her for the first bite.
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“Not satisfied, the shark came back again and when she put both hands in front of her to protect herself, the shark cut off both of her hands, one at mid forearm and the other at the wrist,” Al Chevarie added.
In his initial post, he said her appendages were “instantly amputated.”
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Chevarie said his brother rushed to his wife’s aid, wrestling the shark away and putting himself between the two until she made it to shore where she collapsed.
First aid was administered and she was taken to a Cheshire Hall Medical Centre. She later returned to Canada via air ambulance where she underwent more surgery and is recovering.
Last week, the British Overseas island territory’s local government said its investigation into the Feb. 7 incident at Blue Hills, Providenciales, found that “the tourist had attempted to engage with the animal from the shallows in an attempt to take photographs.”
A large section of beach was initially closed and reopened two days later when officials determined the fish had relocated to deeper water.
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What was supposed to be a restful holiday turned into “a nightmare,” Al Chevarie wrote.
As of Tuesday morning, the GoFundMe was nearing its $26,000 initial goal.
“My brother served our country in the Canadian Armed forces for over 30 years with tours in Kuwait, twice in Afghanistan, Golan Heights, Haiti and Bosnia,” Al Chevarie noted in his plea.
“He served our country with pride; it’s our turn to help them.”
Island-based tourism website VisitTCI noted the waters of the archipelago’s extensive barrier reef are home to many types of sharks, but bull sharks are uncommon. Shark attacks are rarer still and, like most aggressive encounters with humans globally, are thought to be a case of mistaken identity.
“Notably, there are far more people swimming in the Turks and Caicos today than there were in the past. It’s also possible that overfishing may be disturbing the natural marine food chain,” the website says.
The website highlights four attacks since 2021, including the Canadian woman’s recent ordeal.
In May 2024, a local man snorkelling from a boat at Leeward Reef was attacked by a shark and lost a leg above the knee.
A year earlier, a 22-year-old U.S. student — a Yale graduate and marathon runner — lost a foot following a shark attack during a reef snorkelling trip at popular Glace Bay. The fish was thought to be a Caribbean Reef Shark.
In September 2021, a man visiting from abroad kept his arm after being bitten on the wrist by a seven-foot shark while snorkelling near Bright Reef.
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