Magnolia Woodhead shared her account of the frightening moment that took place off Cocoa Beach on Monday.
"Right when I got off the water, I just started screaming, because I knew that it was not good," she said.
The 12-year-old can smile about it now, but her frightening encounter with a marine predator was no laughing matter.
"My husband picks her up, and I could see blood just dripping down her leg," said Melissa Stallings, Woodhead's mother,
Woodhead and her family were visiting from Philadelphia, in town for a gymnastics competition.
The preteen said she was swimming south of a pier when the shark suddenly attacked her.
"And my first thought was like, 'Am I not going to be able to do gymnastics?'" she said,
Woodhead and her family had decided to take a trip to the beach the day before the competition. Before the attack, they were more concerned about a sunburn than anything else.
"Shark bite was not on the agenda for the day, I'll tell you that," said Stallings.
At the hospital, Woodhead said, she got 50 stitches.
Because of all the puncture wounds, doctors told her they believe the shark bit her twice.
"And about 75 to 100 bite marks up and down her little thigh," said Stallings.
Although she couldn't compete this year, Woodhead was still able to show her support for her teammates, just as they did for her.
"I know they've worked so hard on this competition," she said.
Woodhead hopes to be back in Florida next year to compete, but trips to the beach are out of the question for now.
"Yes. For a long time," she said.
Woodhead is not letting the shark attack ruin the rest of her trip. She said she and her family still plan to go to Disney World, although she will require the use of a wheelchair.
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