10-year-old loses part of leg after shark bite while on vacation in Florida Keys
A 10-year-old boy lost part of his leg after a shark attack while he was on vacation with his family in the Florida Keys, officials and a relative said.
The boy, Jameson Reeder Jr., was snorkeling with his family at Looe Key Reef on Saturday when he was bitten by the shark, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The attack happened at about 4:30 p.m.
"The FWC would like to extend our heartfelt best wishes to Jameson Reeder, Jr. and his family during his recovery," the commission said in a statement.
Jameson's uncle wrote on Facebook that the boy was able to stay afloat after the attack. His family got him out of the water and into their boat and fashioned a tourniquet on his leg above the bite. They then flagged down another boat, which had a nurse on board.
Jameson was rushed to shore, met by a helicopter and flown to a children's hospital.
"They had to remove/amputate from just below the knee to save his life as it was not operable from the damage the shark had caused," Jameson's uncle wrote. "They said the shark made the decision for him and wasn’t anything they could do to save it."
Jameson will be 11 in a couple of weeks, his uncle said.
