Woman describes moment shark bit through leg in horror attack and left bone exposed

A woman has recalled the terrifying moment a sharkripped a massive chunk of her leg off and left her bleeding out into the sea with an exposed bone.

Tabatha Sullivent was one of four people savaged by the beast while swimming on the shores of South Padre Island, Texas, on July 4 last year. The mum felt something approach her and mistook it for a large fish - then kicked at it when it suddenly launched itself at her and sunk its teeth into her leg, shredding off a large chunk of her left calf. Disturbing video footage captured the moment blood poured into the seaas onlookers rushed over to help.

"All I saw was something grey in the water, so I just kicked at it because I thought ‘Oh my God, it’s a huge fish,’" Tabatha told Valley Central.

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At the time, she was on a trip with family and friends celebrating a birthday, graduation, engagement, and an anniversary.

Tabatha was initially rushed to a hospital, but due to the severity of her injuries - including an exposed bone that required a skin graft - she was flown to another facility.

She has since faced a gruelling recovery, having fought an infection and undergone several other procedures. In a post on social media last August, she spoke about how the attack had changed her life both physically and mentally.

"What I lost isn’t coming back, and I think that’s the hardest part for me right now. Is…just knowing my leg isn’t gonna…doesn’t grow back," Tabatha wrote.

After spending a month recovering in McAllen, Texas, the mum was able to return home to Dallas. She said: "I had a bone exposed that I had to get another skin graft done on that one, so I did that one at Baylor in Dallas."

But she was determined to walk at her daughter's wedding, which took place just four months after the attack. "I walked down the aisle, and I was dancing unassisted, so it was amazing it was great," she said.

Tabatha's husband, who was also left injured after jumping in to rescue her, is now joining her on another trip - but they've both vowed to stay away from the beach.

"Get a nice little tan going, and stay off the beach and out of the water, we do have the pool so that we can do that," Tabatha explained.

"I want to go on the boat, I want to go snorkelling, I want to get in the water. I notice now if I see snorkelling adventures or deeper water, I’m not sure I could get in it," she said.

"I think it would be really hard for me. And I would probably just panic and not know what was around me."