Updated
Updated · KPRC Click2Houston · Jun 26
12-Year-Old Parker Roll Survives Bahamas Shark Attack After Brother's 1,000-Stitch Rescue
Updated
Updated · KPRC Click2Houston · Jun 26

12-Year-Old Parker Roll Survives Bahamas Shark Attack After Brother's 1,000-Stitch Rescue

3 articles · Updated · KPRC Click2Houston · Jun 26

Summary

  • About 60 miles offshore in the Bahamas, 12-year-old Parker Roll survived a shark bite that tore into his leg and foot, leaving injuries that later required about 1,000 stitches.
  • Jack Roll, his older brother, used Parker’s swimsuit as a tourniquet after carrying him from the water, and doctors told the family the bleeding could have been fatal without that quick first aid.
  • The rescue was slowed because the brothers had swum to the far side of the island and the excursion group had no cell or radio service, forcing a roughly 45-minute wait before crew regained signal and called emergency responders.
  • Parker was taken by ambulance from the dock to a nearby hospital and is expected to fully recover, though he still cannot walk without assistance.
  • The attack happened during a family island tour near Staniel Cay, where police had earlier said the American boy was in stable condition; the shark was believed to be an 8- to 10-foot reef or lemon shark, though not officially identified.

Insights

Is the Bahamas' lucrative shark tourism industry on a collision course with swimmer safety?
Can new 'smart fin' technology truly prevent the next shark attack in popular tourist destinations?