Posted June 22, 2016
A year has passed since Kiersten Yow was bitten by a shark on Oak Island. She smiles for a photograph on her last day of school for the 2015-2016 year. Photo by Laurie Yow
June marks several milestones for Kiersten Yow. Now officially a teenager, she has garnered a variety of honors in school this year, including a young scholar award, a character award and recognition as an outstanding physical education student.
In the past year, Kiersten switched from saxophone to playing the trumpet and plans to join the school band in the fall. She is looking forward to a fun summer full of video games, freshwater sports and relaxation.
However, June also marks a major milestone for the Randolph County teen.
On June 14, 2015, the Yow family was enjoying a sunny day at the beach on Oak Island. “Then the scream came: ‘Shark!’ I saw my nephew’s face and knew something horrible had happened, but never imagined what would come next,” recounts Laurie, Kiersten’s mother.
Kiersten had been bitten by a shark.
She was swimming when she felt something brush against her leg. Realizing it was a shark, she punched it three times but it latched onto her arm. Kiersten cannot recall if it was the shark or the waves pulling her under water and through the surf. When she resurfaced, the shark was gone. She thought to swim to shore before it could come back.
Once on the shore, multitudes of people rushed to her side. “Thankfully God placed an angel, who happened to be a paramedic vacationing with her family, on the beach,” Laurie says. The paramedic kept Kiersten alive until a helicopter arrived to take her to New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington. The doctors were able to repair most of the damage to her leg, but she lost her left arm below the elbow.
After many months of hard work and determination, Kiersten was fitted for a myoelectric prosthetic arm.
Kiersten and fellow shark bite survivor, Hunter Treschl, of Colorado, had a chance to share their experiences. Hunter was bitten only an hour after Kiersten on Oak Island and also lost an arm. Both Kiersten and Hunter have been fitted for prosthetics. Photo by Laurie Yow
The prosthesis uses naturally generated electrical currents from muscles to send signals to her new hand and fingers. It fits over her left elbow like a sleeve and allows her to tie her shoes, carry bags, and lift heavier items by using two arms.
“It’s the little things that we often don’t think about that mean the most,” Laurie says.
Kiersten also underwent multiple surgeries and rehabilitation to rebuild tissue and regain strength in her leg.
The Kiersten Yow Support Facebook page, managed by Laurie, documents Kiersten’s progress. The posts reveal Kiersten taking on life with a smile and the motivation to make each day better than the last.
Kiersten also has shared her story with other survivors. She and Todd Waites, a professional musician who relearned how to play the keyboard after losing his arm at 14, visited the North Carolina Zoo together. Waites also spoke at Kiersten’s school on bullying and positivity.
“To this day, she refuses to ask for help and wants everyone to see her as the same as she was a year ago, before the incident. She hasn’t let the injuries define who she is. Does she have flashbacks and bad memories? Of course. Does she get frustrated? Absolutely. However, she doesn’t let that bring her down to the point it is a crutch,” Laurie says.
“Dwelling on what happened doesn’t alter it, but your attitude after it happens will determine the outcome.”
To learn more about sharks in North Carolina, visit the North Carolina Sea Grant page, ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/sharks, for stories and blog posts.
Ashley Chafin, a junior at NC State University, is a communications intern with North Carolina Sea Grant.
