HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC -- A 10-year-old boy reportedly suffered from what was "very likely a shark bite" at a Hilton Head Island beach Sunday afternoon, according to The Island Packet.
The Island Packet reports that the boy was bitten in the arm while swimming in waist to chest-deep water in front of the Disney Beach House around 3 p.m.
Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue spokeswoman Fire Marshal Joheida Fister confirmed to The Island Packet that a patient with a severe laceration to the arm was airlifted from Disney Beach House to Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah for medical treatment but said she did not know the cause of the injury.
Meanwhile, Tonya Cox Turrell took to Facebook at 3:29 p.m. to request prayers for her son Jei.
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PRAYERS REQUESTED NOW PLEASE!!!! Jei was bit by a shark at Hilton Head Beach and is being airlifted to Savannah.
At 6:05 p.m., Turrell updated her post to say Jei was in surgery.
PRAYERS REQUESTED NOW PLEASE!!!! Jei was bit by a shark at Hilton Head Beach and is being airlifted to Savannah.
At 8:14 p.m., Turrell updated her post to say Jei was out of surgery. "He lost a lot of blood and we need his hemoglobin back up," she said.
PRAYERS REQUESTED NOW PLEASE!!!! Jei was bit by a shark at Hilton Head Beach and is being airlifted to Savannah.
Clearly relieved, Turrell posted again early Monday commenting on the irony of menu items referred to as "shark bites" on the pediatric ward menu. "Jei got a kick out of the menu in the pediatric ward," she said. "I guess whoever created it never thought about a kid being a shark bite survivor."
Jei got a kick out of the menu in the pediatric ward. I guess whoever created it never thought about a kid being a shark...
For her part, Turrell says, "It's really surreal that they keep referring to Jei Turrell as the 'little oy that got bit by the shark.'" As for Jei, Turrell says he is getting a thrill out of gaining some local celebrity because of the incident.
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