Husband of Florida Keys shark bite victim describes harrowing experience

“It was very traumatic,” Luke Bruns said. “I told them, ‘Girls, you need to pray for momma’”

MONROE COUNTY, Fla. – A woman, who was taken to a Miami hospital after being bitten in the leg by a shark in the Florida Keys, is now recovering. Her husband described the harrowing experience to Local 10′s Rosh Lowe.

According to a report by Florida Fish and Wildlife officials, Lindsay Bruns, 30, from the Dallas, Texas area, was bitten by the shark in the waters east of Sawyer Key, on the Gulf of Mexico side of Monroe County last Wednesday.

Officials say Lindsay Bruns was with her husband and two young girls ages seven and five, in about 10 feet of water at the time. Her husband Luke Bruns told officials he heard a splash and then saw nothing but blood in the water. He jumped in to help his wife and saw a huge wound on her right leg, consistent with a shark attack. He tied a tourniquet around it to help stop the bleeding.

“It’s a miracle -- it’s crazy that things like that happen. It would really put things into perspective for you,” said Luke Bruns.

According to the report, the husband called 911 and was advised to take his wife to Tonio’s Restaurant on Summerland Key where they met FWC officers.

Lindsay Bruns was later airlifted to Jackson South Medical Center via a Trama Star helicopter.

Luke Bruns says his young daughters watched the whole scene unfold.

“They were bawling. They were screaming -- they saw it all. It was very traumatic. Once we kinda got the boat going, before I called 911, I just told them, ‘Girls, you need to pray for momma,’” said Luke Bruns.

County officials said an in-flight blood transfusion likely helped save her life. Doctors have performed reconstructive surgery on her leg and her husband says she will recover.

Lindsay Bruns with her family in South Florida. (Photo courtesy of the Bruns family.)

“They expect nothing less than a full recovery,” said Luke Bruns.

Bruns has since been released from the hospital.

A GoFundMe account has been set up by a family friend to help pay for hospital expenses.


About the Authors:

Reporter Rosh Lowe has been covering news for nearly two decades in South Florida. He joined Local 10 in 2021.

Veronica Crespo writes for Local10.com and also oversees the Español section of the website. Born and raised in Miami, she graduated from the University of Miami, where she studied broadcast journalism and Spanish.