Italian sports journalist Eleonora Boi, the wife of former New York Knicks first-round pick Danilo Gallinari, spoke publicly for the first time after being attacked by a shark in Puerto Rico.
Boi, who was bitten on the thigh by a shark, recounted the experience during an appearance on “Good Morning America” on Thursday. Boi, who is pregnant, is expected to make a full recovery. She is due to deliver the couple’s next child — which was not affected by the attack — in November.
Despite that outcome, Boi said the experience left her “traumatized.”
Boi said she was wading out in waist deep water with the couple’s two children when she felt a strong pain and burning on her thigh. She originally thought she had been stung by a large jellyfish but eventually realized she had been bitten by a shark.
Boi said she started screaming for help. Gallinari, who was on the beach with the couple’s son, ran out to help his wife. The couple was able to get everyone to safety, where a woman helped put pressure on Boi’s thigh as they waited for help to arrive.
Boi and Gallinari never got that woman’s name, but thanked her during the appearance, per GMA.
“She was an angel. Danilo was with me, and she helped so much. I would like to say thank you to this woman, because I don’t know her name, and I just want to say thank you to her, because she helped a lot,” said Boi.
Doctors ran hours of tests on Boi to ensure her baby was okay. Once that was determined, doctors performed an operation on Boi. She still makes weekly visits to the doctor, and is expected to make a full recovery.
Gallinari is currently a member of Vaqueros de Bayamón, a team that plays in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional in Puerto Rico. Prior to joining them, Gallinari spent 16 seasons in the NBA. Gallinari, who is from Italy, began his NBA career with the Knicks, who selected him with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.
His selection was loudly booed by Knicks fans at the event. Gallinari recovered from that to deliver two-and-a-half solid seasons in New York before he was traded to the Denver Nuggets. Gallinari played for six other NBA teams during his career.
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