A woman attacked by a shark at San Onofre State Beach in April spent nine weeks in the hospital and is now thanking those who helped raise money for her recovery.
Leeanne Ericson, a mother of three, was enjoying the day at the beach with her boyfriend Dusty Phillips on April 29 when she was pulled under the water by a shark.
"Nine to 11-foot great white, bigger than a car next to you," Phillips said.
He told NBC 7, he swam toward the shark when he realized Ericson has been dragged under. He added that he wasn’t concerned about the shark but worried about his girlfriend.
"It was just getting her out of the water," he explained.
Thanks to surfers who were nearby, Phillips was able to swim her to shore and she was transported to the hospital.
Ericson suffered serious injuries to her right hip and upper leg, along with significant blood loss. She was placed in an induced coma in the hospital.
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Four months later, after multiple surgeries, Ericson has begun her road to recovery.
Thursday afternoon, Ericson, along with her family, thanked those who had helped raise money for her at Privateer Coal Fire Pizza,
"Places like--people like this, if it wasn't for these people, I don’t know where I would be," she said.
Ericson is doing physical therapy several times a week. She essentially lost her entire hamstring and is working to get her strength back.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Ericson and her family.
