Parker Roll, all smiles in the wake of a shark attack in the Bahamas. Photo: GMA
In the final days of June, a 12-year-old boy from Texas was attacked by a shark while vacationing in the Bahamas. According to reports, he was on a tour of Exuma Cays with his family when he was bitten. Now, a little more than a week later, he has spoken out, crediting his brothers for saving his life.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force issued a press release stating it responded to reports of a shark attack on June 23 at around 3:30 p.m. The victim, an American boy named Parker Roll, was being transported to New Providence by boat.
“I just thought I was gonna die,” Roll told Good Morning America in a recent interview. “I didn’t really feel it at first because there was so much adrenaline but I remember looking down and I just see this head and its head was well over a foot wide. I’ve never felt pain like that cause there was the salt water and huge wounds and tons of teeth marks.”
The shark, thought to be an 8-10-foot reef shark, bit into Roll’s leg as he swam with his older brother, Jack, near Staniel Cay. At the time, the severity of Roll’s injuries weren’t public, but he was listed as stable after receiving the proper medical treatment.
The New York Post reported that Jack, who is 16, saw the shark just seconds before it attacked his younger brother, but he initially thought it was a rock before assuming it was a harmless nurse shark. But then it attacked Parker and Jack knew something was very wrong.
“I immediately took off my swimsuit because I was like, oh we need to stop that bleeding,” Jack recalled. “I ran over there, wrapped it around his leg and then picked him up and started carrying him over to the beach.”
Adam Roll, another of the brothers, sprang into action as well.
“I immediately ran up the hill, and I started screaming to get a first aid kit,” Adam said. With the help of the crew, the boy carried Parker to the boat.
“I definitely consider myself very lucky, as that shark could’ve easily taken my leg off,” Parker said. “I definitely consider [Jack] as my hero, as he stopped the bleeding and saved my life.”
“The whole boat was praying on that ride back cause it was very uncertain how it was gonna turn out,” Parker’s dad told Good Morning America.
In the wake of the attack, Parker’s injuries have been made public. He was treated for severe injuries to his lower extremities, and according to Good Morning America, received more than 1,000 stitches. Doctors are optimistic about his recovery, as is Parker. Although he is still in a lot of pain, he’s now able to walk short distances and looks forward to riding his dirt bike again.
