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Local businesses support survivors of shark attack in Mountain Brook

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WVTM 13 NEWS AT SIX STARTS. WHAT I CAN SAY IS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS PRAYING FOR THEM. THE MAYOR OF MOUNTAIN BROOK SAYS THE VICTIMS OF THE RECENT SHARK ATTACKS HAVE THE ENDLESS SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US AT 6:00 AM. I’M GUY RAWLINGS AND SHERI FALK, TWO MOUNTAIN BROOK TEENS INJURED IN A HORRIBLE ATTACK OFF THE GULF COAST. IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE ON THE BEACHES OF WALTON COUNTY, FLORIDA, FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THEN THE POPULAR VACATION AREA WAS HIT BY NOT JUST ONE BUT TWO ATTACKS ABOUT 90 MINUTES APART AND ABOUT 4 MILES APART. A 45 YEAR OLD WOMAN WAS ATTACKED. THEN THE TWO TEENAGERS FROM MOUNTAIN BROOK WVTM 13 LISA CRANE LIVE IN LOCAL AND MOUNTAIN BROOK. I KNOW THE PEOPLE THERE MUST BE SHOCKED. LISA. YES YOU KNOW THIS IS A LOT TO PROCESS FOR THIS SMALL COMMUNITY BUT THEY HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH TRAGEDY BEFORE AND NOW THEY ARE HOLDING TOGETHER TO DO THE SAME THING AND HELP THESE TEENAGERS. THIS IS A VISUAL DISPLAY OF YOUR SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT. THE PEOPLE AT SMITH’S VARIETY HAVE BEEN WORKING NON-STOP TO MAKE PURPLE RIBBONS. THEY HAVE SOLD HUNDREDS AND THE ORDERS KEEP COMING. THE RESIDENTS OF THIS AND NEIGHBORNING TOWNS WANT THE FAMILIES OF THE GIRLS ATTACKED BY A SHARK TO KNOW THEY ARE NOT ALONE. YOU CAN FEEL FOR ANYONE WHO IS IN THIS SITUATION. I CAN’T IMAGINE IT AND IT’S UNDERSTANDABLE. I MEAN, WE’VE ALL BEEN IN THOSE WATERS, WE’VE ALL SWAM THERE. 15-YEAR-OLD LULU GRIFFIN WAS SEVERELY INJURED AND LOST HER LEFT HAND AND PART OF HER RIGHT LEG. ONE OF HER FRIENDS FROM SCHOOL SAYS HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT HER. ONE OF THE GIRLS IN MY CLASS CALLED ME TO TELL ME ABOUT IT AND WAS COMPLETELY FREAKIN OUT BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T KNOW ANYTHING AT THAT POINT AND SHE JUST ASKED IF I COULD TELL THE PEOPLE HERE TO JUST PRAY FOR HIM. THOSE WHO BUY THE TAPES SAY THEY WANT TO KEEP THE FAMILIES IN THEIR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT THEM FOR THE LONG TERM. WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP PRAYING AND FOR THE PHYSICAL HEALING OF THESE GIRLS, BUT ALSO FOR THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED IT EMOTIONALLY, MENTALLY AND SPIRITUALLY. BECAUSE THE HEALING IS GOING TO TAKE A VERY LONG TIME. LOTS OF PRAYERS, LOTS OF SUPPORT, LOTS OF GOOD VIBES, GOOD WISHES. UM, JUST KNOWING THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE AND THAT WE ARE WITH THEM, WHETHER THEY KNOW US OR NOT. WE ARE HERE FOR THEM. NOW, ALL DAY LONG, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN COMING IN AND OUT BUYING THESE TAPES. HUNDREDS WERE SOLD TODAY AND THERE ARE ORDERS FOR HUNDREDS MORE. THEY ARE SOLD FOR ALMOST $11. THAT INCLUDES TAXES AND 20% OF IT GOES TO THE

Local businesses support survivors of shark attack in Mountain Brook

Video above: Previous coverageA Mountain Brook teen reportedly needs more surgery after a shark attack in the Gulf.15-year-old Lulu Gribbin lost her left hand and part of her right leg in that attack Friday.Her mother blogged about the attack and her daughter’s condition on the website caringbridge.org.She said Lulu has now been transferred to another hospital to prepare her for more surgeries on prosthetics in the future.Her mother writes, “I smile at her, overwhelmed with a sense of happiness and gratitude. She is alive and breathing. God has answered our prayers. The journey has begun and she made it!”While Lulu is receiving treatment out of state, many local businesses are helping. Smith’s Variety in Mountain Brook is selling purple ribbons with proceeds benefiting Lulu, but that support goes beyond her hometown. Now, two businesses in nearby Homewood are also using their talents to help. One of them is Bandwagon Sports in Edgewood. “I did it.” Those three words have become shark attack survivor Lulu Gribbin’s mantra. According to her mother’s post on the website caringbridge.org, those were Lulu’s first words after she woke up from emergency surgery. Bandwagon owner David Knight said, “It’s just a beautiful testament to her spirit and her belief in it.” Knight and his wife are friends with the Gribbin family, and to support Lulu, they’re selling T-shirts. They just announced the sale on Wednesday. “Within just 24 hours, we sold almost 700 shirts,” Knight said. They’ve taken orders from more than 20 states across the country. His wife, Leah, said, “I’m completely overwhelmed. So I thought there would be, you know, I knew there would be support, just because I feel like our communities are amazing. But the response has been overwhelming.”The ladies at the Holland and Birch jewelry store, also in Homewood, know the feeling. “It’s been very hectic. And people have been very patient because it’s always a challenge to keep up with demand,” Rebecca Scheffer said.They made a stamped bangle bracelet in honor of Lulu. They made it for Lulu and her family, but sold over 500 throughout the U.S.”No idea. No idea. The amount of support, prayers and commitment has been incredible,” Scheffer said.And apparently the Gribbin family is feeling that support.”Joe is the dad. I spoke to him this morning; he emphasized to me several times that they can feel the love not only from the community around Birmingham, but from all over the country,” Knight said.You can order a T-shirt for $28 at bandwagonsorts.com or a bracelet for $40 at hollandandbirch.com. Again, proceeds go to the Gribbin family.

HOMEWOOD, Alabama —

Video above: Previous coverage

A Mountain Brook teenager reportedly needs further surgery after a shark attack in the Gulf.

Lulu Gribbin, 15, lost her left hand and part of her right leg in Friday’s attack. Her mother blogged about the attack and her daughter’s condition on the website caringbridge.org.

She said Lulu has now been transferred to another hospital for further surgery to prepare her for future prosthetics.

Her mother writes: “I smile at her, overwhelmed with a feeling of happiness and gratitude. She is alive and she is breathing. God has heard our prayers. The journey has begun and she has made it!”

While Lulu is receiving treatment out of state, many local businesses are helping her. Smith’s Variety in Mountain Brook is selling purple ribbons with proceeds going to Lulu, but that support goes beyond her hometown. Now, two businesses in nearby Homewood are also using their talents to help. One of them is Bandwagon Sports in Edgewood.

“I did it.”

These three words have become the mantra of shark attack survivor Lulu Gribbin. According to her mother’s post on the website caringbridge.org, these were Lulu’s first words after waking up from emergency surgery.

Bandwagon owner David Knight said: “It’s just a beautiful testament to their attitude and belief in this.”

Knight and his wife are friends with the Gribbin family. To support Lulu, they are selling T-shirts. They only announced the sale on Wednesday.

“Within 24 hours we sold almost 700 shirts,” Knight said.

They have received orders from more than 20 states across the country.

His wife Leah said: “I am completely overwhelmed. I thought there would be support because I think our communities are amazing. But the response has been overwhelming.”

The ladies at Holland and Birch jewelry store, also in Homewood, know the feeling.

“It was very hectic. And people were very patient because it’s always a challenge to keep up with demand,” said Rebecca Scheffer.

They made a stamped bangle bracelet to honor Lulu. They made it for Lulu and her family, but sold over 500 across the United States.

“I have no idea. I have no idea. The support, the prayers and the willingness to help have been incredible,” Scheffer said.

And apparently the Gribbin family feels this support.

“Joe is the father. I spoke to him this morning. He emphasized to me several times that they can feel the love not only in the Birmingham community, but across the country,” Knight said.

You can order a t-shirt for $28 from bandwagonsorts.com or a bracelet for $40 from hollandandbirch.com. Again, all proceeds go to the Gribbin family.

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