8-Year-Old Shark Bite Survivor Suffering From Kidney Failure

PENSACOLA, Fla. — An 8-year-old boy whose arm was reattached after a shark attack was suffering from kidney failure Sunday.

Jesse Arbogast of Ocean Springs, Miss., was moved to Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital from Baptist Hospital, which is not equipped to treat kidney problems, said Clay DeStefano, a Sacred Heart spokesman.

“It was decided this morning based on the seriousness of his condition that he needed to be transferred here,” DeStefano said.

The boy had been in critical but stable condition. On Sunday, he was in very critical condition after undergoing dialysis, DeStefano said.

The boy was attacked Friday evening while swimming at Gulf Islands National Seashore near Pensacola on the Florida Panhandle.

His uncle wrestled the 7-foot-long bull shark to shore.

“He’s a big guy. He got hold of it and tossed it ashore,” District Ranger Supervisor John Bandurski said.

Ranger Jared Klein then shot the shark four times with a 9-millimeter pistol, and pried its jaw open with a police baton.

Volunteer firefighter Tony Thomas used a clamp to pull the boy’s severed arm out of the shark’s gullet.

The boy had no pulse and no blood pressure when he was airlifted to the hospital about 30 minutes after the attack, said Dr. Jack Tyson.

The trauma surgeon said Saturday it was too early to tell if Jesse may have suffered brain damage.

Ian Rogers, the plastic surgeon who helped reattach the arm, had said he was hopeful the boy could regain near normal use of his arm in 12 to 18 months, with extensive therapy.