Boy, 10, who lost part of his leg in shark attack is still in 'good spirits', family says

A ten-year-old boy is in "good spirits" but lucky to be alive after being attacked by a shark while vacationing with his family in Florida on Saturday.

WSVN reports that Jameson Reeder Jr. was snorkeling in the Florida Keys when he was attacked by a shark, which managed to give a crushing blow below the knee and sever his lower leg.

The young boy was rushed to hospital where doctors used "five quarts of blood to save him," Miller, a family friend, told the local Miami news station.

"It's still a miracle he's still alive," he added.

The traumatic incident happened while Jameson Reeder Jr. was snorkeling in Florida Keys with his family. Credit: Ian G Dagnall / Alamy

Joshua Reeder, the child's uncle, posted a lengthy Facebook statement detailing the tragic incident, writing: "As [Jameson] screamed and cried for help while miraculously staying afloat on a noodle my brother Jameson gathered his family on the boat and rushed over to rescue his son."

The post continued: "They saw Jameson [Jr.] holding on for dear life and jumped in to get him on the boat. They tourniquet his leg above the bite to slow/stop the bleeding."

The Reeder family believes an 8-foot bull shark is the culprit, according to the Facebook post.

Local10 reported that Reeder Jr. was airlifted via helicopter to Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami, where he stayed until Monday. Sadly, the station reported, surgeons were unable to salvage his leg, causing it to have to be amputated just below the knee.

Miller set up a GiveSendGo fundraiser page to help ease the financial burden of Reeder Jr.'s surgery.

Credit: GiveSendGo.com

"We are asking for prayers and any additional financial help to support this dear sweet family as they recover both physically and mentally from this traumatic experience. One thing we know for sure, is Jameson Jr.'s fearless faith in God carried him through," Miller wrote in the description.

So far, more than 340 donors have dug deep for the brave boy, with some donations as high as $3,000. Miller had set the initial goal of $50,000 for Reeder Jr.'s medical expenses, however, the amount is already at $53,000 and continuously climbing.

Despite the tragic incident, Reeder Jr. is said to be in "good spirits," per People.

Featured image credit: Cultura Creative RF / Alamy