HAVELOCK, N.C. — On June 2, 2019, Paige Winter was just 17 years old when she lost her left leg and two of her fingers in a shark attack off the North Carolina coast.
It’s been a turbulent and trying year for the young woman, who would normally be starting a life of her own. Being a teenager in the midst of a global pandemic is hard enough, but Winter is making the best of her situation.
“I’m not really able to do all of the things that I used to do,” Paige told ABC’s Robin Roberts in a special set to air Thursday night on Channel 9.
In a trailer for the special, Paige is seen being announced as a homecoming queen candidate at New Bern High School and undergoing physical therapy (watch below).
Her struggles are also touched on, but Winter keeps a good perspective.
“I feel like this is kind of like a triumph for me because people thought I was going to die,” she said. “But I am not dead. I am indeed very much alive.”
Following Winter’s story for more than a year, Roberts and ABC News chronicle her unprecedented journey: from the harrowing attack and months of rehabilitation to the trials, tribulations and struggles. The hour-long special features twelve months of unfettered and exclusive access to Winter and her family who -- for the first time -- share their story in the hopes of inspiring others.
All the dramatic ups and downs converge in one moment when Winter and her family return to the beach where she nearly lost her life for the first time exactly one year after the attack. Roberts also sits-down with Winter for a second exclusive interview to discuss all that has happened in the year since they first met on “Good Morning America.”
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When Winter was attacked, her father heroically beat off the shark and carried his daughter to safety. After being airlifted to a trauma center and undergoing multiple surgeries, Winter lost two fingers, and her left leg was amputated. Two weeks after the attack, Winter spoke to Roberts on “GMA” about the terrifying moment she was pulled underwater and her catastrophic injuries.
“I was aware from the beginning, nothing’s gonna be the same ever again. Like, I’m still Paigey. Just a little different,” Winter said. “I got some pieces of the puzzle missing. But it’s OK. ... I’d rather have to go through this tough journey than… not being able to use my hands. Not being able to, like, walk.”
Life will probably never resemble anything normal again, but in the age of COVID-19, many have learned the same thing Winter has in recent months.
“Everybody’s normal is different,” she said.
>> “Shark Attack: The Paige Winter Story” airs Thursday night at 10 on Channel 9.
Cox Media Group
