Oklahoma teenager hits shark after being bitten while vacationing at Texas beach

DURANT, Okla. (KFOR) — An Oklahoma teenager who survived a brutal shark bite dared to relive the terrifying moment.

What was supposed to be a relaxing vacation gave Damiana Humphrey the scare of her life when she unexpectedly encountered a shark.

“I thought it was a dream. I was like, this can't be real. This can’t be real,” Humphrey said.

Every year, the 19-year-old and her family take a vacation.

In May, they decided to go to the beach in Galveston, Texas.

Humphrey said they had only been there a day and decided to go enjoy the ocean.

“We were almost waist deep because the waves were so strong and the wind was pretty fierce,” Humphrey said. “My sister-in-law was with us and she saw something happen in one of the waves. At the time, we didn't really know what it was.

In a matter of seconds, a casual swim turned terrifying.

“As I was turning around, a shark grabbed the top of my hand and so I looked down and saw there was a shark on my hand,” Humphrey said.

Experts said Humphrey's reaction is your best defense when encountering a shark.

“Anything you can do to get that shark to release you and its nose is certainly very sensitive, so hitting, hitting to get away is effective,” said John Money, deputy director of the Oklahoma Aquarium.

When the shark finally let go of Humphrey's hand, she ran out of the water and headed straight for her parents.

“I want to scream, I cry,” Humphrey said.

His hand was covered in bite marks.

“They take me out of the water, wrap me in a towel, then they sit me down and my dad tries to calm me down while they call 9-1-1,” Humphrey said.

Humphrey was rushed to a local hospital and required surgery.

The student said four tendons in her hand were severed.

She now wears a corset but is grateful to be alive.

“I know I'm fine and it wasn't as bad as some people were. So I’m very fortunate in that sense and I take that to heart,” Humphrey said.

Humphrey, who wants to become a nurse, said a nightmare come true won't stop her from returning to the ocean.

When asked if she would consider going to the ocean and enjoying a vacation in the future, Humphrey said, “Yes, I will. I will definitely avoid murky water for now.

It's still unclear what kind of shark bit Humphrey.

The teen will require physical therapy but is expected to make a full recovery.