‘Lulu strong’: Teen who lost hand, leg to shark returns home after months in hospital

MOUNTAIN BROOK, Ala. (WBRC/Gray News) - After losing two limbs to a shark and spending months in the hospital, a 15-year-old girl from Alabama returned home in style.

Crowds lined the streets of Mountain Brook for the parade welcoming 15-year-old Lulu Gribbin back home Saturday afternoon. To the tune of “Sweet Home Alabama,” the teen rode on the back of a golf cart decked out in balloons of her favorite color, purple, WBRC reports.

“Lulu strong! We love you!” some parade attendees cheered.

Lulu’s left hand and right leg had to be amputated after she was bitten by a shark June 7 while swimming in the Gulf of Mexico in Walton County, Florida. Her mother says the teen’s first words after surgery were “I made it.”

Lulu’s strength was on full display during her homecoming parade. Attendees could see her prosthetic arm and big smile.

“It is remarkable how she has just overcome. She’s had such a perseverence,” said a woman attending the parade with her two young granddaughters.

Kati Ortis, an 11th grader at Mountain Brook High School, where Lulu also goes to school, says the teen’s perseverence is being celebrated at school, too.

“There’s bows everywhere. Teachers are talking about how they’re excited to see her and how... we’ve got to support her and show her the love that she needs,” Ortis said.

Lulu’s family is now acclimating to life back at home. They say they are thankful for the community’s generosity.

In late July, Sen. Katie Britt, of Alabama, announced she was introducing new legislation in honor of Gribbin. Called “Lulu’s Law,” the bill would encourage authorities to quickly deploy alerts to the public via mobile phone messages if a shark has bitten someone or if conditions enhancing the possibility of a shark bite are present.

Last Monday, it was announced that the bill was cosponsored on the House side by the entire Alabama delegation.

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