Kiersten Yow ‘excelling’ one year after shark attack

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — It’s been one year since two young adults, Kiersten Yow and Hunter Treschl, were attacked by a shark or sharks in Oak Island.

Kiersten’s mother, Laurie Yow said to this day her daughter still recalls all the details of that swim.

“She was swimming, felt a bump to her leg, reached back and realized what was happening. She punched the shark three times and the next thing she knew she had been pulled under water, either by a wave or the shark, she isn’t sure which. When she was able to swim above water, she realized he was gone and the only thing she could think was to get to shore before it came back,” said Yow.

Kiersten was bitten on her left leg and left arm. She lost her arm to the incident, but fortunately the damage to her leg was only tissue related.

“Her first question was “Will I be able to walk again?” The response was yes, but it will take some time,” said Yow.

Yow said her daughter was determined to walk again and within a week she was already trying with the help of folks at UNC Children’s Hospital.

She said when they returned home from the hospital, the entire family adjusted rather quickly to their normal routines.

“Kiersten only had a few weeks before school began so decisions needed to be made about what that would look like. We looked a variety of options from home schooling, homebound to normal public school. We had moved into a new home a few weeks prior to the incident, and this meant a new school, no friends and unfamiliar teachers and staff. Kiersten again said, “I got this, I am starting school at my new school on day one.” A few weeks into school, she realized she had probably taken on a little too much so soon,” said Yow.

Yow said the “stares” made Kiersten uncomfortable and she found it difficult to talk to her peers about what happened. Her family was determined to help make things easier on her and Kiersten was able to develop a few great friends who her mother said have become a great part of her support system.

“In December, she was finally able to get a myoelectric prosthetic arm and that has been a tremendous benefit for her. While it doesn’t fully function as her natural hand did, it does help her with small tasks that we often take for granted. She can carry bags, tie shoes, and support larger items that she may be carrying or lifting. It is the little things that we often don’t think about that mean the most,” said Yow.

She adds that Kiersten has continued to excel in school, joining her school’s Junior Beta Club and Battle of the Books team.

“To this day, she refuses to ask for help and wants everyone to see her as the same as she was a year ago before the incident. She hasn’t let the injuries define who she is. Does she have flashbacks and bad memories? Of course. Does she get frustrated? Absolutely! However, she doesn’t let that bring her down to the point it is a crutch. Just like when you fall down and scrape your knee, you jump up, shake it off and move on. Dwelling on what happened, doesn’t alter it, but your attitude after it happens will determine the outcome,” said Yow.

Kiersten had to stop playing the saxophone due to her new hand, but but has picked up the trumpet as it is easier to manage with one hand and prosthetic. Her mother said she also has a new water sports hand that she will hopefully use this weekend to finally be able to use the wakeboard that she received before the incident.

“We are often asked if we will return to the ocean. While we would love to be brave and say yes, we are not there yet. We are using this experience to change our vacation experiences to explore other areas. We had always gone to the beach several times a year. It was fun and easy to plan. Now we are exploring other areas and that is good for us. We cringe every time we hear of other encounters as we know what that family now goes through. Ocean conditions have changed, and while the likelihood of something like this will happen again are rare, we caution everyone to be alert. The predictions are that there will be more incidents this year. We can’t live in a bubble, but we can be aware of the risks,” said Yow.

She said they want to thank everyone who has helped them on this journey to recovery.