Grandmother’s Heartbreaking Final Words Revealed After Deadly Shark Attack

A quiet afternoon swim turned into a nightmare off the coast of St. Croix, where a 56-year-old grandmother was fatally mauled by a shark in one of the most violent attacks the island has seen in years.

The victim, identified as Arlene Lillis, was only a few yards from shore when the water around her turned red.

Witnesses said the sound of her screams cut through the air.

“It didn’t sound human,” one beachgoer said. “It was this ungodly screaming. Everyone froze.”

Among those who heard the cries was Utah nurse and former lifeguard Christopher Carroll, who raced from his hotel room and dove straight into the ocean.

“I didn’t think. I just ran,” he told local reporters. “When I got closer, I could see the blood spreading out around her.”

Lillis was drifting about ten yards offshore. The shark had torn off her left arm below the elbow. Carroll said the bone was visible.

But she was still conscious.

“She was talking,” he said. “I kept telling her, ‘Stay with me. We’re getting you out.’ But she looked at me and said, ‘I’m going to die.’”

Carroll said it was the most chilling moment of his life.

A second bystander, Nebraska tourist Ryan Connot, swam out to help after someone yelled that a shark had attacked a swimmer.

“She told us her name was Arlene,” Connot said. “That was the last thing she said before she went quiet.”

The two men pulled her to shore as fast as they could. By then, she had lost a massive amount of blood.

“She was fading,” Carroll recalled. “There was nothing else we could do but get her in.”

Lillis was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead soon after arrival.

The attack happened near Dorsch Beach, a popular spot on St. Croix known for its calm water. That calm vanished in seconds.

Many swimmers scrambled out of the water. Parents grabbed their children. Several people thought there might be a second victim because of the amount of blood drifting through the current.

Rescue crews launched jet skis to search the coastline.

St. Croix Rescue Chief Jason Henry spent nearly an hour scanning the water.

“We got reports of a possible second person in distress,” he said. “We combed the area. Thankfully, that turned out not to be the case.”

Authorities have not confirmed the species involved, but the region is known for tiger sharks and Caribbean reef sharks — both powerful predators capable of catastrophic injuries.

Marine experts say shark attacks are rare in the U.S. Virgin Islands, but the severity of this one shocked even longtime locals.

U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan issued a statement late Thursday.

“Our hearts are with the family and loved ones of the victim, and with everyone who witnessed this tragedy,” he said. “We are grateful for the heroic actions of the bystanders and first responders who fought to save her.”

The beach has since been marked with warning signs as investigators review currents, weather conditions, and recent shark sightings.

But for witnesses, the trauma remains.

“I’ll never forget her voice,” Carroll said. “She was fighting so hard. I just wish we could have gotten to her sooner.”