PARIS, France — Ali Truwit of Darien has won a Silver Medal in the Paralympics in Paris.
The para-athlete is in Paris on Team USA nearly one year after surviving a shark attack.
Aurélie Rivard of Canada won the Gold and Bianka Pap of Hungary won the Bronze.
"A shark came out of nowhere and started attacking us and bumping us and ramming into us. We fought back pushing it and kicking it but it had my leg in its mouth and next thing I knew it bit off my foot and part of my leg," said Truwit.
Truwit and a Yale swimming teammate were snorkeling in Turks and Caicos two days after earning her diploma.
It was the sport she trained for all her life—that saved it.
"We made the split-second decision to save ourselves and to swim for our lives. We swam about 75 yards back to the boat, me footless and bleeding profusely," said Truwit. "Knowing how to swim well completely saved my life."
Truwit's teammate stopped the bleeding. She was airlifted back to the U.S.
Doug Stewart is a Senior Digital Content Producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dstewart@fox61.com.
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