A teenage girl is facing surgery after being bitten by a barracuda during a birthday getaway to Turks and Caicos — but the frightening encounter has not shaken her dream of becoming a marine biologist. She has even given the fish a name.
Claire Macdonel had recently turned 13 and was playing in shallow water when the predatory saltwater fish struck, KHOU11 reported. She was doing a handstand in about four to five feet of water when the barracuda suddenly clamped down on her hand.
“I did the handstand, like four or five feet deep, and when I did it, midway, I just felt a lot of pressure,” Claire told the outlet.
“I just looked up from my hand, and I just saw blood everywhere. It was running through my whole arm, and it was just like a horror movie,” she said.
Claire’s mother, Jen Macdonel, was also in the water when the barracuda attack happened. She quickly helped get her daughter back to shore, where a stranger immediately came forward to assist.
“She stepped in and said, ‘I’m a nurse. Can I please help?’ And I said, ‘Yes, please.’ So I stepped back, and she made a tourniquet and helped stop the bleeding while we waited for the ambulance to arrive,” Macdonel said.
Images of Claire’s injuries showed the severity of the barracuda bite, with several lacerations and puncture wounds visible on her hand.
Medical staff cleaned the wound and placed a loose suture, allowing the teen to continue the remainder of her Turks and Caicos vacation before undergoing further treatment.
Though she still needs surgery to repair the damage — Claire said the ordeal has not frightened her into giving up her dream of becoming a marine biologist.
“Just because one bite happened, it doesn’t change that I love animals and want to study them,” she said. “Even though something bad happened, you’ve got to keep going with your dreams.”
The girl added that she believes the shiny jewelry she was wearing attracted the barracuda, mistaking it for prey.
“She named the barracuda Suzie. She’s like, ‘I’m not mad at the ocean. I’m a little mad at Suzie, but we’ll get over it,’” her mom said. “She’s an inspiration to all of us. If you fall, you get right back up.”
