Nurses and Boater Save Shark Bite Victim Off Key West

A 43-year-old man is alive today because the right people were in the right place at exactly the right moment.

The man was swimming near Boca Chica Key off Key West on Sunday evening when a shark bit his lower leg. The bite hit an artery, causing severe bleeding that could have been fatal within minutes.

A nearby boater saw what happened and immediately transported the injured swimmer to Boca Grande Key, an uninhabited island west of Key West. That's where the second stroke of luck happened.

Nurses who were visiting the remote island provided emergency care right there on the beach. They worked to control the arterial bleeding while help was on the way.

The same Good Samaritan boater then transported the man to the Key West shore, accompanied by a Coast Guard vessel. From there, a Trauma Star helicopter airlifted him to Jackson South Medical Center in Miami.

The man arrived at the hospital in stable condition around 5 p.m., according to Monroe County officials. He's expected to recover from his foot injury.

Sunny's Take

This story shows how strangers become heroes in seconds. The boater didn't hesitate to help someone in distress. The nurses used their training on their day off, on a deserted island with no medical equipment nearby.

They each did what they could with what they had. The boater provided transportation. The nurses provided medical care. Together, they formed a lifesaving chain.

Shark attacks are rare in the Florida Keys, but when emergencies happen in remote areas, having people willing to help makes all the difference. The Coast Guard praised everyone involved for their quick response and teamwork.

Every person in this chain mattered, from the first boater who reached the victim to the helicopter crew who got him to advanced care. One person stops a boat. Another stops the bleeding. Another gets him home safely.