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A Canadian woman, who tragically lost both her hands following a shark attack while vacationing, has provided a heartrending account of the ordeal.
The 55-year-old, travelling with her husband to the Turks and Caicos Islands, endured what her brother-in-law, Al Chavarie, described as a “nightmare.”
In a heartfelt fundraiser launched for the couple, Mr. Chavarie recounted the incident and its profound effects on their lives.
“After leaving the beach to join her husband in waters that were only hip-deep, a seven-foot bull shark approached and knocked into her legs,” he said. “The shark then circled back and attacked her thigh.”
“Unsatisfied, the shark returned, and when she raised her hands to shield herself, it severed both of her hands—one at the mid-forearm and the other at the wrist.”
Mr. Chavarie further explained how his brother, Ralph, heroically intervened, managing to push the shark away while ensuring his wife could escape the water and collapse onto the beach.
The Turks and Caicos Islands Environment Department later confirmed that their investigations indicated the tourist had attempted to engage with the shark while in shallower waters to take photographs.
Images from the scene reveal beach-goers providing first aid to the injured woman before she was taken to a local hospital. Eventually, she was flown back to Canada for surgery, as explained by her brother-in-law.
To support the couple during this life-altering event, Mr. Chavarie has launched a GoFundMe campaign, stating: “This incident has drastically changed their lives in an instant.” Their fundraising efforts have already surpassed $23,000 CAD.
Shark attacks in the Turks and Caicos are infrequent, with data showing only four incidents from 2021 to 2025, all of which had survivors. The predominant species in the region is the grey reef shark, typically not aggressive unless provoked.
Nonetheless, more aggressive types like the bull shark are also occasionally found in the waters, which is the species Mr. Chavarie stated was responsible for his sister-in-law’s attack.
