What started as a tranquil family day at the beach in Puerto Rico quickly turned into a harrowing ordeal for sports journalist Eleonora Boi and her husband, former NBA player Danilo Gallinari. On August 1, 2025, Boi—six months pregnant at the time—was attacked by a shark while wading in waist-deep water at Carolina Beach, a popular spot on the island. The incident, which left Boi traumatized but ultimately safe, has since captured international attention, both for its rarity and for the extraordinary acts of kindness that followed.
According to Good Morning America, Boi recounted the terrifying moment when she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her thigh. "I thought it was a huge jellyfish, but it wasn’t a jellyfish. It was a shark..." she recalled, her voice still carrying the weight of the trauma. She was not alone in the water—her two children were nearby, and Gallinari was just a short distance away with their son and daughter. The attack, which happened in mere seconds, left Boi in shock and fear for her life and her unborn baby.
Shark attacks in Puerto Rico are exceedingly rare. According to The Sporting News, there have been only 35 unprovoked shark bites in the Caribbean region since 2000, with just four resulting in fatalities. This context underscores just how unlikely—and frightening—the event was for Boi and her family. The waters off Puerto Rico are home to several shark species, including the Caribbean reef shark, blacktip reef shark, nurse shark, silky shark, Antilles catshark, and the whale shark, but attacks on humans are unusual.
As panic set in, Boi screamed for help. The next moments were a blur, but one detail stands out vividly in her memory: the swift intervention of a mystery woman on the shore. This woman, whose identity remains unknown, rushed to Boi’s side and immediately applied a tourniquet to her thigh to stem the bleeding. Boi later described her as an "angel" and expressed profound gratitude, saying, "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."
Gallinari, who has played for eight NBA teams over 16 seasons—including stints with the New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons, and Milwaukee Bucks—was in Puerto Rico for a new chapter in his basketball career. He had recently joined the Vaqueros de Bayamon in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional, the island’s premier basketball league. His time there proved fruitful, culminating in his first-ever championship at any level, a personal and professional milestone. Yet, none of his on-court battles could have prepared him for the fear and helplessness he felt watching his wife in danger.
After the immediate crisis was managed on the beach, Boi was rushed to a local hospital. There, doctors conducted a battery of tests to assess the extent of her injuries and to check on the health of her unborn child. The bite wound, while serious, was not life-threatening thanks to the quick actions of her rescuer. Infection was a concern—shark bites can introduce dangerous bacteria—but subsequent tests showed no signs of infection. Most importantly, a scan confirmed that her baby was unharmed.
Despite the physical trauma, Boi's emotional recovery has proven to be an even greater challenge. During her Good Morning America interview on August 14, 2025, she did not shy away from describing the psychological scars. "I’m traumatized," she admitted. "When I remember it, I’m still scared. It was the worst day of my life, but now all I have to do is recover from the shock and try to forgive the great friend who betrayed me." Her words reflect not only the pain of the moment but also the lingering impact such an event can have on one’s sense of safety and trust, even in nature.
Boi’s ordeal was compounded by her pregnancy, which added another layer of fear and urgency to the situation. She was six months along at the time of the attack and is expected to deliver her child in November 2025. The medical team’s swift response and the positive test results brought immense relief to both Boi and Gallinari, who remained by her side throughout the ordeal. As Boi continues her recovery, she still attends regular doctor’s visits to monitor her health and the well-being of her baby.
The story has resonated with many, not just because of its dramatic nature but because of the very human elements at its core—fear, gratitude, and the kindness of strangers. The identity of the woman who rendered aid remains a mystery, but her actions have become a focal point of the narrative. Boi’s repeated expressions of thanks highlight the profound impact that a single act of compassion can have in a life-or-death moment. "Thanks to this woman because she was an angel; she helped me so much," Boi said, her appreciation undiminished by the passage of time.
For Gallinari, the incident was a stark reminder that life’s unpredictability transcends the boundaries of sport. His achievements on the basketball court, including his recent championship in Puerto Rico, were momentarily overshadowed by the vulnerability of his family in the face of nature’s dangers. Yet, the experience has also brought the family closer together and underscored the importance of community—whether it’s the basketball family that celebrated Gallinari’s victory or the anonymous beachgoer who stepped in to save his wife.
As the Boi-Gallinari family looks ahead to the birth of their next child, they do so with a renewed sense of gratitude and perspective. The memory of that day on Carolina Beach may never fully fade, but it is now tempered by the knowledge that, even in moments of terror, there are strangers willing to help and reasons to hope. For Eleonora Boi, the journey to recovery continues, but she faces it with courage, the support of her loved ones, and the enduring memory of an angel on the shore.
