9-Year-Old Boy On Vacation Bitten By Shark In Miami Beach

A 9-year-old boy was hospitalized after he was bitten by a shark in South Florida over the weekend, according to NBC 6.

Kristine and Ren Weiskopf said they were visiting Miami Beach from Minneosta until the shocking incident happened. Kristine said she and her son Jay were in the water for a few minutes.

“I was holding his hand the whole time and he was kind of body surfing a little bit and he had fallen on his stomach,” the mother said. When she pulled Jay up, Kristine said she noticed a chunk of skin missing from his shoulder.

“He just said, ‘Ow,’ and I looked down and there was about a 4-foot gray shark just kinda swimming away, so I just scooped him up and ran him up the beach,” Kristine recounted.

Miami Beach Fire Rescue met the family near Third Street, and Jay was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital for immediate surgery, according to reporters.

“I just love him so much. He’s such a great kid and we’re still in shock, but thankful. We thank God that he didn’t take his life. That he’s gonna be OK,” Ren, the boy's father, said.

The parents said the doctors were worried about the possibility of infection and long-term effects on Jay's mobility, but the prognosis is good, NBC 6 reported.

“He just wants to go home and it’s really sad because we had so much fun planned,” Kristine said.

They also expressed concerned for other beachgoers hanging out in the waters where the attack happened.

“What I don’t like right now is that the beach is still open, and kids are still down there playing, and they are in the same spot where my son just got attacked," Ren said. "I don’t know if it’s just because of spring break or whatever, but the beach should be closed."

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