Woman’s calf ripped off in cruel shark attack because she thought it was a “giant fish”

A woman had her calf ripped off because she mistook a shark swimming towards her for a harmless “giant fish”.

Tabatha Sullivent was enjoying a day at the beach off the south coast of Texas, USA, with her husband Cary and daughter Skylar on Thursday (July 4) to celebrate her daughter’s 15th birthday when the underwater predator struck.

She is one of four victims attacked in a shocking incident on South Padre Island last week.

The mother and her daughter were cooling off in the shallow waters off South Padre Island when they suddenly realized that something was lurking beneath the surface.

Speaking to CBS News Texas from her hospital bed, Tabatha explained, “I turned around and just saw something gray in the water. So I just kicked it because I thought it was a huge fish coming towards us.”

“I think it grabbed my leg.”

The animal – believed to be a bull shark – sank its jaws into her left leg and “shredded” her calf. Blood flowed into the water and stunned beachgoers watched.

When Tabatha’s husband realized what was happening, he rushed to the water and fought off the shark with incredible strength – but the shark continued to pursue them and managed to bite Cary twice.

Onlookers then helped the couple get back to shore and alerted emergency services.

Tabatha and Cary spent their 16th wedding anniversary together in the hospital after their ordeal. (Facebook)

Tabatha recalled: “I was just screaming ‘help’ and trying to get to the shore. And then when I was already on the shore, I was just in shock. I felt numbness, that’s probably the best description for it.”

“If my husband and everyone else on the beach hadn’t intervened immediately, if there hadn’t been people pulling me out – not just to pull me out, but jumping between the shark and me – I don’t think it would have stopped.”

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife officials, two people were bitten and hospitalized, while two others suffered minor injuries. All four are believed to have been bitten by the same shark.

Tabatha and Cary spent their 16th wedding anniversary together in the hospital on Friday (July 5), the day after the attack – but the two were just grateful to be together.

“Someone or something was definitely watching over us,” she said.

The mother underwent surgery on Saturday to flush out her wound. According to her family, the operation went well. Her husband has since been released from the hospital.

The mother explained that she initially thought the shark was just a “giant fish.” (X/@money_bubby)

Tabatha will likely need to undergo several reconstructive surgeries, but doctors are confident she will be able to keep her leg and walk again.

She said she could move her toes and ankles, adding that her bone structure was “good.”

However, the shark attack victim fears he will “probably not be fully mobile” in the future and has set up a GoFundMe campaign to prepare for his lengthy recovery.

Tabatha’s latest update, posted on the site yesterday (July 7), states that she will spend “three days in the hyperbaric chamber” to speed up the healing process, as well as two days in surgery.

She added: “I have feeling on the top of my foot but not on the bottom. We still have a long way to go and there are many unknowns. I have started some physical therapy and walking with a walker. It won’t be long before I’m in pain. Baby steps.”

South Padre Island Fire Department Chief Jim Pig told CBS News that the shark responsible for the incident was “located at the south end of the island and was pushed into deeper waters.”

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said the shark was about 6 feet long and stressed that sharks do not normally attack humans and that this is usually a case of mistaken identity.