Two 8-Year-Olds Sustain Shark Bites in Florida, Texas Beaches

An 8-year-old boy was bitten by a blacktip shark while snorkeling off the coast of Key Largo, Florida, on Labor Day, suffering a severe injury above his knee that caused significant blood loss. He was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, where he underwent surgery and is now recovering in good spirits. His 10-year-old sister played a crucial role in his rescue, and a good Samaritan assisted in applying tourniquets to control the bleeding before emergency responders arrived. Authorities including the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Coast Guard, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were involved in the response. This incident follows a similar shark attack on an 8-year-old girl in Galveston, Texas, who was hospitalized with a leg injury requiring staples. Shark encounters remain a concern in these coastal regions, though victims often show remarkable resilience.