MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A family visiting South Florida on vacation is finally heading to their hotel to relax after an extremely frightening experience for their young son.
That brave little boy finally left Jackson Memorial Hospital on Tuesday.
“A shark tried to eat me at the ocean,” said 9-year-old Jay Weiskopf.
That’s pretty much what happened to young Jay on Sunday.
After he and his parents arrived from Minnesota, they hadn’t even checked into their hotel yet when they headed down to the beach for a nice South Florida swim along the sand.
“Five minutes in the water, and boom,” said Kristine Weiskopf, Jay’s mother.
She told Local 10 news she saw the shark, which was about four feet long and gray, swimming away after it bit her son, who is also autistic.
After realizing what had happened, Kristine scooped up her son and raced back to the beach.
Miami Beach Fire Rescue met the family on the sand, near 3rd Street.
“It could have been really bad, “Kristine said, “We’re very lucky, and we’re very grateful. And you can see, that this kid is strong. He’s tough, and we’re just happy he’s okay.”
The next stop for the family is finally checking into their hotel and enjoying what is left of their vacation.
“Obviously, it’s a traumatic, terrible event, but we just thank God it’s over with,” said Ren Weiskopf, Jay’s father.
Added Kristine: “I don’t want to let him go. I slept next to him the last two nights. I just want to hug him constantly.”
There are still plenty of things for the family to do during their stay in South Florida, except for one thing.
“No beach, and no ocean,” Jay said.
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