According to the reported sequence, she struck at the animal in an effort to make it release her.
But the shark continued holding her.
Its jaws remained attached to her leg, causing severe damage.
The animal then pulled her beneath the surface.
For a person trapped in a shark's grip, the danger is not limited to the bite itself.
Being submerged prevents normal breathing.
The victim must struggle against the animal while also trying to return to the surface.
The situation becomes especially dangerous when a major limb is injured.
Pain, physical restriction, and blood loss can make coordinated movement difficult.
Addison was only 17 years old.
She had entered the water for a familiar summer activity.
Now she was fighting for her life.
The shark's grip prevented her from simply swimming away.
Her attempts to strike it were not enough to free her.
She needed immediate assistance.
Her brother was close enough to hear her calls for help.
Rhett Willingham was trained to respond to emergencies, but this was not an ordinary medical call.
His sister was being attacked by a large shark in open water.
There was no ambulance waiting beside her.
No emergency room was nearby.
And no protective barrier separated the rescuers from the animal.
Rhett had to reach Addison before he could use any of his medical training.
The immediate problem was the shark itself.
As Addison struggled, the water around her became stained with blood.
The injury was already severe.
Rhett recognized that his sister was in immediate danger.
He began moving toward her.
The next few moments would determine whether Addison could escape the animal at all.
Chapter 4: Rhett Hears His Sister Screaming
Rhett Willingham heard Addison calling for help and immediately swam toward her.
He was a firefighter and emergency medical responder, accustomed to situations in which quick decisions could mean the difference between life and death.
But this emergency was personal.
The person in danger was his younger sister.
As Rhett approached, he saw Addison in the water, with blood spreading around her.
The shark was still attacking.
There was no time to wait for professional rescuers to arrive.
Rhett moved directly toward the animal and began striking it.
He was trying to force the shark to release Addison's leg.
The intervention was extraordinarily dangerous.
A shark approximately nine feet long possesses enough strength to inflict serious injuries with a single bite.
By approaching it while it was attacking, Rhett exposed himself to the possibility of being bitten as well.
He had no protective cage or specialized equipment for controlling the animal.
His immediate objective was to separate the shark from his sister.