GALAPAGOS ISLANDS, ECUADOR: A nurse who was snorkeling on the islet of Mosquera, on the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador, was bitten by a shark that left her needing more than 100 stitches to her leg. Following the harrowing incident, Delia Yriarte will also need five tendon repairs and "probably a few more surgeries."
Talking about the horrifying attack, she said "I felt a little bit of a touch, not a pull nothing like that and after that, I felt my leg a little numb, then I kept paddling, and I felt that my leg wasn't responding." Yriarte explained that she noticed the blood while she was returning to the shore and then realized she had been injured. "I'm assuming that because it was so fast my brain didn't have time to register the pain," she said, according to Daily Mail.
Who is Delia Yriarte?
Delia Yriarte who works as a nurse is originally from Mexico but now lives in San Jose, California. According to her GoFundMe page, she is "not only a dedicated nurse but also a loving single mother who has tirelessly worked to provide for her family", and has invited others to express their gratitude for her service by helping her "through this challenging time." The fundraiser also stated the 40-year-ol is likely to lose wages as she will not be able to work during the long period of recovery.
Yriarte says she is 'just lucky' she is still alive
Speaking about her recovery, Yriarte said, "I understand it's going to be a long process, but I'm just lucky that I'm still alive." She added that she is hopeful about walking again after the recovery process which the doctors estimate will span several months.
Yriarte was seen being hoisted to safety with her leg wrapped following the attack. She was immediately taken to Santa Curz Island's Hospital Republica del Ecuador where she was treated. Apart from the five tendon tears, the nurse said she has also lost some tissue that would need grafts to mend.
"The attack inflicted significant damage to Delia's leg, requiring immediate medical attention and extensive rehabilitation," the family wrote on the GoFundMe page. An emergency doctor at the Santa Cruz Island hospital stated that Yriarte was "stable, she is conscious, she underwent surgery on her right leg. She did not lose her leg." She currently remains in Ecuador and is planning to return home in the next few days with the help of the US consulate, according to Daily Mail.
