Woman has ‘remained very positive’ as she recovers from shark attack
By Robert Westermann , Jake Burns
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GLEN ALLEN, Virginia (WTVR) — The congregation at Winn’s Baptist Church is sending support to one of their church families, as Elisabeth Foley recovers from a shark attack in Walton County, Florida.
“Figuratively speaking, we are hugging them every minute of every day, and reminding them just how much they are loved,” Pastor Jeff Brauer said.
Foley, 45, remains in a Florida hospital after undergoing surgery for the critical injuries she suffered, including the loss of her left hand, during Friday afternoon’s attack. Brauer has been in communication with the family ever since their 17-year-old daughter contacted him for prayer just hours after the attack.
“We prayed together, cried together, and that was the beginning of it on our end,” Brauer said.
The church has set up a fundraising page to help support the family as they begin their road to recovery, which will likely include a medical flight back to Virginia. On a spiritual level, however, Brauer knows Foley will maintain a strong attitude.
“Elisabeth is in very good physical shape, and she’s a very strong person,” Brauer said. “[She’s] a lady of great faith, and therefore, she’s remained very positive.
Foley was one of three victims of shark attacks that day, with another occurring just four miles down the beach. Shark attacks remain rare in the United States, but the number of fatal attacks that occurred last year was 10 – four above the average.
“Their faith is strong enough to know that things like that happen to very, very good people,” Brauer said of the Foley family. “Sometimes lightning strikes, sometimes things go wrong, we live in a fallen world.”
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