Bridgette O'Shannessy, a 32-year-old Australian woman, was the victim of a horrific shark attack while free-diving off a reef in Adelaide last Friday. The attack left her with severe facial injuries, including having to have shark's teeth surgically removed from her skull.
According to Perth Now, Bridgette O'Shannessy is an environmental consultant and university student, and she was diving with her partner Brian Gordon Roberts when this incident happened.
Brian pushed the shark away before putting pressure on her wounds. Ms O'Shannessy was rushed to Flinders Medical Centre. She remains there after undergoing two surgeries for extensive injuries and nerve damage. Mr Roberts used social media to announce Ms O'Shannessy was in a stable condition when she left the surgery.
"Unfortunately, Bridgette was hit by a white pointer at Port Noarlunga Reef yesterday. She's doing really well considering the circumstances,” he wrote.
Mr Roberts thanked supporters for their well wishes and said he had been passing them on to her.
Off-duty lifesaver Ray Tomlinson, who had been in the water only minutes before the attack, told 9News he raced in when he heard her cries for help on Friday afternoon.
"I basically went over to assist getting the craft up onto the beach and securing it, at which time I realised there was a patient in the boat," Tomlinson said.
Mr Tomlinson worked alongside Mr Roberts, who was applying pressure to injuries on her face and head.
"He had applied pressure for quite a while, and the patient wasn't under any stress," Tomlinson said.
