Reviewed by: Patience Itson
Shark attack survior Lulu shares her story on “Good Morning America”
Reading time: 2 minutes
Mountain Brook teen Lulu Gribbin, 15, who miraculously survived a shark attack in June 2024, was recently featured on “Good Morning America” to share her personal recovery story.
Despite the immense challenges she faced, Lulu has persevered and continues to inspire not only the Birmingham community but people across the country.
Lulu’s remarkable recovery story
While enjoying a mother-daughter beach trip to Florida with her twin sister, Ellie, Lulu’s life changed in an instant. What began as a fun day in the water turned tragic when a shadow in the waist-deep surf signaled danger. Moments later, Lulu was attacked by what witnesses described as a bull shark.
She was pulled from the water, drifting in and out of consciousness, and rushed to receive emergency care.
Over the next two months, Lulu underwent multiple surgeries at OrthoCarolina’s Limb Loss Recovery Center in Charlotte. Among the procedures was targeted muscle reinnervation, a technique that reassigns nerve endings to help control a future prosthetic and reduce phantom limb pain.
In addition to physical recovery, Lulu participated in a groundbreaking virtual reality therapy designed to ease phantom limb sensations—a condition that affects up to 80% of amputees.
Lulu has relearned how to water ski and has recently begun running and golfing again, using a specialized prosthetic designed for athletic activities.
She launched the Lulu Strong Foundation
Inspired by her journey, Lulu launched the Lulu Strong Foundation, which will support amputees and help expand access to advanced recovery treatments, such as the virtual reality technology that helped her manage phantom limb pain.
Her courage, resilience and advocacy have made a lasting impact, and through her foundation, she hopes to empower others facing similar challenges.
You can learn more about Lulu’s journey here.
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