That sequence has often been highlighted because it demonstrates that the victim actively resisted while trapped in the shark's jaws.
However, the incident should not be interpreted as proof that eye-gouging will always stop a shark attack.
Wild animals do not respond identically in every situation.
A defensive action that appears to help in one encounter may not produce the same result in another.
The circumstances of Leeanne's survival were specific.
She was already being bitten.
She was submerged.
And she used the limited movements available to her to fight for release.
The exact reason the shark let go remains uncertain.
What matters is that she survived long enough for Dusty and other surfers to help bring her to shore.
The attack also illustrates why a shark encounter can have consequences lasting far beyond the moment of contact.
A person may escape the animal yet still face major medical treatment, rehabilitation, and lasting physical limitations.
For Leeanne, the fight did not end when the shark released her leg.
It continued through the rescue, the helicopter flight, the surgeries, and the difficult process of learning to walk again.
Chapter 10: The Woman Who Refused to Give Up
The April 29, 2017, attack at San Onofre was a terrifying event that changed Leeanne Ericson's life.
She had entered the Pacific Ocean near her boyfriend, Dusty Phillips, expecting an ordinary day at the beach.
Instead, she encountered a great white shark.
The animal seized her right thigh and pulled her beneath the surface.
At first, Leeanne had believed the contact with her leg might have come from a seal.
Within moments, she realized she was facing a far more dangerous situation.
The shark's jaws were locked around her leg.
She was being dragged underwater.
And she needed to escape before the combination of injury and submersion became fatal.
Leeanne fought back.
According to her account, she punched the shark repeatedly.
When the animal continued holding her, she reached toward its eye and drove her fingers into it.
The shark eventually released her.
That moment gave her an opportunity to survive.
But escaping the animal was only the first stage.
Dusty entered the murky water to search for her.
With help from other surfers, he assisted in bringing Leeanne toward shore.
Her injuries were devastating.
A large amount of tissue had been torn from her right thigh.
The damage extended deep into the leg.
She required emergency medical treatment and was transported by helicopter to a hospital.
The medical consequences were severe enough to require eight operations during approximately nine weeks of intensive treatment.
The attack lasted only a short time.