ASPEN, CO—In a remarkable survival story, a 16-year-old girl from Aspen, Colorado, faced a harrowing experience while vacationing in Belize in August 2025. Annabelle Carlson, who has a passion for adventure and scuba diving, was unexpectedly attacked by two sharks during her family trip.
“I never imagined I would be in a situation like this, but here I am,” Carlson shared with Nexstar’s KDVR.
The family, known for their love of travel and scuba diving—Carlson and her mother both certified divers—had been enjoying their summer vacation when the incident occurred. After diving 120 feet into the ocean, Annabelle and her mom decided to go for a swim from their boat, joining her siblings in a fun jumping-off-the-deck activity.
“I jumped in first,” Carlson recalled. “That’s when a shark came up from beneath the boat and started biting my hands.”
With adrenaline kicking in, she fought back against the shark, landing multiple punches. “We were face-to-face, and it was biting my hands. The other divers in the water threw me a life ring, but my hands were too damaged to catch it. As they pulled me in, another shark bit my leg.”
In a frantic attempt to fend off the predators, fellow divers threw oxygen tanks at the attacking sharks. Despite high spirits, it quickly became clear that the boat’s first aid kit was lacking. Fortunately, a bystander in the dive group provided a tourniquet, which was instrumental in stemming the bleeding from Carlson’s severe leg injury.
Her struggle didn’t end there. During a grueling hour-and-a-half ride to emergency medical care, Carlson faced a battle to remain conscious, fearing that falling asleep could cost her life. “Staying awake was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do,” she recounted.
Once stabilized, she spent a month in a Miami hospital where doctors treated her serious injuries. Upon returning home to Aspen, she discovered the extent of the shark bite, which had left a severe injury from her ankle to just below her knee, exposing bone and leading to a rare infection.
Dr. Julia Sanders, Director of Pediatric Orthopedic Trauma at Children’s Hospital Colorado, explained, “She required multiple surgeries due to a unique mycobacterial infection. It set her back time and again, but she’s showing incredible resilience.” Now, Carlson is getting back to her active lifestyle, even resuming scuba diving and exercising with a prosthetic limb.
“I believe everything happens for a reason, and there’s always light at the end of the tunnel,” Carlson stated, having undergone roughly a dozen surgeries, with more planned for the future.
Looking ahead, she has ambitious plans to start a foundation aimed at providing first aid kits for boats and camps, inspired by her own life-saving experience. “If I hadn’t received that tourniquet, I wouldn’t be here today,” she emphasized.