Jaws-some! Florida teen, 13, braves the ocean to swim with giant tiger shark just one month after fighting off 4ft bull shark in horrific shallow water attack
- In May, a Florida teenager made headlines worldwide when she successfully beat away a bull shark that was attacking her
- Ella Reed has now returned to the sea at the invitation of Nova Southeastern University who were tagging sharks for research
- The aspiring marine biologist, although in only eighth grade, has won a scholarship to the university when she is ready to go to college
A 13-year-old girl that fought off a bull shark that attacked her in shallow waters in Florida has returned to the ocean to tag sharks with scientific researchers.
Ella Reed, was sitting in the shallows with her friends at Fort Pierce Beach last month when a four-foot bull shark swam underneath her friend and attacked her.
The brave teen fought the animal off by punching it in the face and using her arms to protect her stomach.
The young girl sustained injuries to her stomach, arm, finger, and knee and had to get 19 stitches.
However, Reed, who one day aspires to be a marine biologist, has returned to the sea at the invitation of Nova Southeastern University who were tagging sharks for research in an inspiring segment that aired on NBC’s Today.
Ella Reed got ack in the water with sharks just a month after her viscous attack
The teen helped a university team tag sharks for research
Derek Burkholder Ph.D, a research scientists at the university told Today that they invited Reed because ‘we thought that maybe that first interaction wasn’t quite the best.
‘We would like her second interaction with a shark to be a much more positive one.’
‘When I received the invitation to go shark tagging I was super excited, Reed told the program.
‘I’m hoping to learn their behavior and more about them.’
Not only did Reed get stuck in throwing bait to the sharks and tagging their fins from the boat, she also bravely swum alongside them in the water.
‘The tiger shark felt like leather and sandpaper, it was really weird and the nurse shark kind of felt like sandpaper too’ Reed said of the experience.
‘Tagging the sharks was super fun, it was a lot better than the other time I had an experience with another shark.’
Ella’s mother Devin Reed said she was pleased her daughter had the opportunity to interact with sharks.
Ella Reed, was sitting in shallow water with her friends at Fort Pierce Beach last month when a four foot bull shark swam underneath her friend and attacked her
The young girl sustained injuries to her stomach, arm, finger, and knee and had to get 19 stitches
The brave teen fought the shark off by punching the shark in the face and using her arms to protect her stomach
Not only did Reed get stuck in throwing bait to the sharks and tagging their fins from the boat, she also bravely swum alongside them in the water
Ella’s mother Devin Reed said she was pleased her daughter had the opportunity to interact with sharks
The university have offered Ella a scholarship to study marine biology with them when she is old enough to go to college
‘Now that she’s able to see marine biology and how you can put that to work, and how you really can make a difference.
‘I hope it guides her in the area she wants to go in.’
Although Ella is only in eight grade, the university have offered her a scholarship to come and study marine biology with them when she is old enough to go to college.
