A shark attack nearly ended a star swimmer's career — but it hasn't kept her from the water

Last year was life-changing for U.S. Paralympic swimmer Ali Truwit.

Last year was life-changing for U.S. Paralympic swimmer Ali Truwit. She graduated from Yale University, wrapping up a successful collegiate swimming career, and headed to Turks and Caicos in May for a vacation with close friend Sophie Pilkinton. 

But what was meant to be a celebratory trip changed in the blink of an eye.

“A shark came up and started attacking us and aggressively bumping us and ramming us from underneath,” Truwit recalled in an interview. “And we fought back, shoved and kicked, but pretty quickly it got my leg in its mouth, and the next thing I knew, it had bitten off my foot and part of my leg.”

When nobody could hear their cries for help, survival instincts kicked in.

“We made the split-second decision to swim for our lives,” Truwit said. “Roughly 75 yards in the open ocean water back to the boat.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/paralympics/ali-truwit-paralympics-shark-attack-rcna167829

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