A Texas teenager is recovering after being bitten by a barracuda while vacationing in Turks and Caicos.Sugar Land resident Claire Macdonel, 13, was swimming in shallow water when the fish bit her hand on Sunday, July 19.The teen was wearing a shiny bracelet on one of her wrists — which likely reflected light and was mistaken by the barracuda for prey. SHARK WEEK DANGERS HIT HOME AS MAN IS BADLY BITTEN WHILE SAVING PREGNANT FIANCÉE FROM HARMJen Macdonel, Claire Macdonel's mother, told Fox News Digital that the barracuda attack lacerated four of her daughter's tendons, in addition to a nerve and a ligament.The girl had surgery on Wednesday. "She could have easily lost her whole hand or fingers or worse," said Jen Macdonel. Claire Macdonel, 13, of Texas was doing handstands in the water during a vacation in Turks and Caicos when a barracuda was apparently attracted to the reflective items she was wearing — and moved in.
(Jen Macdonel)The teenager was doing handstands when a barracuda was likely attracted to the reflective items she was wearing, mistaking them for prey."You know, you're doing handstands against white sand, clear water, the sun hits that — she probably just looked like a disco ball," Jen Macdonel said.RECORD SEAWEED INVASION LEAVES BEACHGOERS GAGGING AS FUMES RAISE HEALTH FEARSPhotos shared by the family show Claire Macdonel's hand covered in cuts and puncture wounds shortly after the bite.She wore a cast afterward as her wounds healed.Claire Macdonel told Fox News Digital, "I just felt a lot of pressure.
And then I went up.I saw my hand bleeding a lot, and I said, 'Mom, something bit me.
I don't know what to do.'"The teen's hand is shown in both images during her hospital treatment.Claire Macdonel encourages others to remove any jewelry before entering the water.
(Jen Macdonel)"I looked behind me and saw a big silver tail....
I was very scared," she told FOX 26 Houston."I was just anxious, like, I was crying the whole time," she said. SH...