Shark attack survivor Paige Winter tells her story
Shark assault survivor Paige Winter is calm as she explains precisely what occurred as she was dealing with demise.
“I didn’t see my life flash earlier than my eyes, however I did see my future,” the 19-year-old North Carolina teen says in a brand new Nationwide Geographic particular about her harrowing encounter on June 2, 2019, at Fort Macon Seaside, N.C. (See Yahoo Leisure’s unique clip above.)
In Shark Assault Investigation: The Paige Winter Story, Winter and her family and friends recall the day, whereas consultants take a look at the elements that contributed to the assault that triggered her to lose a leg and two fingers. As an illustration, they analyzed whether or not the shark had been drawn to Winter’s colourful hair or her intensive jewellery.
“I had been questioning for some time,” Winter tells Yahoo Leisure, “they usually confirmed quite a lot of stuff that I already thought had occurred, however in addition they sort of advised me, you already know, among the stuff that I assumed had contributed to it weren’t contributions in any respect.”
She was by no means actually into watching shark-themed programming on TV — it was too gory for her — however she needs folks to know that she doesn’t maintain any grudges in opposition to the predators. Winter says she’s all the time been an environmental advocate who adores all creatures — particularly her cat, Sushi — and that hasn’t modified.
“I simply figured since so many individuals don’t like sharks, as a result of they’ve heard of shark assaults, I figured they’d take heed to somebody who’s really lived it to inform them to relax out,” Winter says of why she needed to share her story this fashion. “As a result of it’s effective.”
Not that it’s been straightforward. Winter spent a lot of her senior yr of highschool in rehab, which meant her math grades suffered. And simply determining deal.
“Actually, like, lots of people assume that shedding a leg is the worst to occur, however I assure you a hand damage is a lot worse,” she says. “I needed to relearn to place up my hair and brush my tooth and button my pants. It was only a bunch of little stuff, and it irritated me a lot. And I nonetheless can’t really feel in my left hand. I keep in mind I ripped off my precise fingernail, as a result of I had a pretend nail on it, and I simply didn’t discover till I checked out it.”
Now she makes use of a shorter, acrylic nail on that finger. Winter’s nails are fairly vital to her; she’s planning to be knowledgeable manicurist. That was one in every of her goals earlier than the assault, and now she’s making it occur.
“Once I acquired damage, I used to be like, that’s out of the image,” Winter says. “However then I went, and I signed up for cosmetology lessons, and now I’m taking them and I’m actually good at it. It’s actually nice!”
She doesn’t have for much longer in class.
“I simply completed my first semester, so I’ve a yr left,” she says. “After which I’ll take the take a look at, and I’ll be a licensed cosmetologist.”
One thing else that hasn’t modified is her boyfriend. Winter says she considered through the assault. They’d began relationship a couple of month earlier than it occurred. She was nervous about how he would react.
“So once I awoke from my surgical procedure, you already know, like freshly no leg, no nothing,” Winter says, “I known as him and mentioned, ‘Do you continue to like me?’ He was like, ‘Sure.’”
She provides, “He’s a cool fella.”
Shark Assault Investigation: The Paige Winter Story premieres Monday, July 12 at 9 p.m. on Nationwide Geographic as a part of SharkFest 2021.
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