Heroic Dad Punched Shark Multiple Times to Save Daughter

A courageous father punched a shark multiple times on Sunday afternoon to save his daughter from being attacked on a beach in North Carolina.

Officials said that the shark attacked Paige Winter, 17, while she was swimming at Fort Macon State Park and her father rushed into the water to save her, WTVD reported.

“Thank God our son was with her,” Paige’s grandmother Janet Winter said of Charlie Winter, a former U.S. Marine who is also a local firefighter. “He said he punched the shark in the face five times before it let go.”

Paramedics airlifted the injured teenager to a regional hospital, where she said shortly after the attack, “I will be OK.”

The force of the attack caused Winter to suffer serious injuries. The grandmother announced Sunday that her injuries were severe enough to cause her fingers and leg to be amputated.

The local hospital announced Sunday evening that Winter is recovering from her injuries, WCTI reported. The family set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to pay for Winter’s recovery. As of Tuesday afternoon, the fundraiser collected nearly $37,000.