Colorado Teen Who Lost Leg in Shark Attack Says She Wants to Return to Ocean as 'Soon as Possible’
Annabelle Carlson has undergone seven surgeries since she was attacked by two reef sharks in Belize in August
Annabelle Carlson has undergone seven surgeries since she was attacked by two reef sharks in Belize in August Michele Westmorland/Getty The Great Blue Hole in the center of the Lighthouse Reef, Belize :max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/great-blue-hole-lighthouse-reef-belize-123124-4c1e696077d5437a991d96d96adbf77c.jpg "Entrance to the famous Great Blue Hole. In the center of the Lighthouse Reef, part of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System")
Annabelle Carlson isn’t going to let a brutal shark attack keep her from living her fullest life.
The 15-year-old from Colorado lost a leg when she was attacked by two reef sharks during a family diving trip to Belize in August and has spent four months in the hospital. During this time she has undergone seven surgeries and suffered from a bacterial infection that will require her to take five different antibiotics every day for a minimum of six months.
Yet she won’t let any of that — or her prosthetic leg — stop her from moving forward.
“I wake up every day feeling grateful just because I’m here,” Carlson told NBC News in an interview that aired on the Tuesday, Dec. 31 episode of Today.
“I’m planning on, obviously, playing lacrosse and using my prosthetic to go skiing,” she shared about her future goals.
"We’ve talked about you going scuba diving again,” her mom, Kellie Carlson, added.
“Yeah, hopefully getting back into the ocean as soon as possible too,” Annabelle agreed. JohnnyGreig/Getty Aerial view of Great Blue Hole in Belize
Related: 15-Year-Old American Girl Loses Leg in Shark Attack While on Vacation Diving Excursion
The attack that changed Annabelle’s life occurred on Aug. 6 and happened “the minute she hit the water,” her mom said.
“It came from under the boat. It started attacking my hands,” Annabelle recalled of the reef shark that bit her. “As they’re pulling me in, there’s a second shark that does bite my right leg.”
“As soon as they pulled her up, I knew right then and there I was going to have to do everything I could to save her life,” Kellie said of her oldest daughter. “Basically, her leg was missing from her knee to her ankle. All the soft tissue from her knee to her ankle was gone, and it was just her tibia and fibula.”
The family had to be helicoptered out of their remote diving location to get Annabelle to medical experts.
“I wasn’t sure she was going to make it because she was sheet white,” Kellie said.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Nature, underwater and art photos, www.Narchuk.com/Moment/Getty Images Animals from the phyla chordata and cnidaria are included in this images of sharks and other fish over a coral reef in Fiji.
Despite the attack, Annabelle is now focused on moving forward and finding light in her situation. She and a friend even dressed as a shark and a shark attack victim for Halloween.
“At least for me, it’s part of staying positive,” Annabelle said.
Related: Tourist Killed in Shark Attack Near Popular Resort While His Wife Pleaded for Help from Shore
“I mean, I’m here, and I’m able to walk again, I’m so lucky to be able to do so,” Annabelle added. “I think this situation just really goes to show that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Because I do have my prosthetic now. I’d say I’m thriving, right?”
Annabelle’s friends and family are in awe of her perseverance. A GoFundMe created to help the family with medical costs has raised more than $215K of its $250K goal.
“I wake up every morning thanking God that she’s here,” Kellie said. “This whole thing has really opened my eyes to her strength, a strength I didn’t know she had.”
