Boy, 12, reveals how brother's quick thinking saved him from shark bite while on gorgeous Bahamas vacation

By JOE HUTCHISON, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 20:32, 29 June 2026 | Updated: 20:52, 29 June 2026 A Texas boy survived a horrific shark attack while vacationing in the Bahamas thanks to his quick-thinking brother.  Parker Roll, 12, was swimming with his older brother Jack, 16, after the two decided to take a dip while on a boat tour of the Exuma Cays when he was bitten.  The two brothers went exploring a shallow bay in the waters near Staniel Cay while the rest of their family remained on land when the youngster was bitten.  Appearing on Good Morning America, Parker describe the moment the animal, believed to be a reef shark, sank its teeth into him.  He told the outlet that it: 'Felt like a knife was stabbed into my calf and then twisted, and then someone was laying on top of it. 'I've never felt pain like that, because there's lots of salt water and huge winds, and there's tons of teeth marks.' Jack quickly jumped into action, using his swimsuit as a tourniquet to stop the bleeding before carrying his brother to the shore.  He said: 'I immediately took off my swimsuit, because I was like, "Oh, we have to stop that bleeding".' Parker Roll was saved by his brother Jack after the teenager quickly tied a swim suit around his brother's leg to stop the bleeding after the attack Parker, appearing on Good Morning America, likened the bite, seen here, to feeling like a stab to the leg Their older brother Adam then shouted for help and alerted boat crew members to the incident as they scrambled to help the youngster. The family then had to endure a 60 mile boat trip back to the mainland, where he was rushed to hospital and underwent surgery.  Thankfully the youngster is expected to make a full recovery, with images shared by the family showing the large amount of stitches needed on his leg.  Parker added: 'I remember looking down, and I just see this head, and this head's well over a foot wide.' He added that he didn't 'feel the bite at first, because there's just so much adrenaline.'  Jack told the outlet that he heard an 'ear-piercing scream' and saw the shark had latched onto Parker's leg.  It was Jack who originally spotted the animal, but believed it to be a rock, saying: 'I see this, what looks like a rock. 'And then I see it comes closer to me. I was like, "Oh, it's a nurse shark, oh it's a really big nurse shark".' The family then had to endure a 60 mile boat trip back to the mainland, where he was rushed to hospital and underwent surgery Parker and Jack are seen here alongside his siblings, dad Matt and mother Katie Parker is seen here in an image captured on the trip to the Bahamas Nurse sharks are coming in the waters in the area and are known for being docile, the boys told the outlet they believed it was a reef shark between 8 and 10 feet long.  Parker said that his toe was badly injured in the attack but his leg, bar the teeth marks, was intact.  He added: 'I definitely consider myself very lucky, as that shark could've easily taken my leg off.' His father Matt Roll added: 'The whole boat was praying on that ride back, because it was very, very uncertain how it was going to turn out.' Thankfully, Parker is on the mend and can already walk short distance.  He credits his older brother with saving his life, adding: 'I definitely consider him as my hero, as he stopped the bleeding and saved my life.' The waters surrounding Staniel Cay are seen here It comes after officials in New York warned beachgoers ahead of the Fourth of July weekend that sharks are returning to the area.  The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) released guidance to 'reduce the risk of human-shark interactions' as 13 species return to the region.  The annual migration typically runs from June through September as ocean temperatures rise. However, sightings often peak around the Fourth of July when sharks and their prey, including bunker fish, move closer to shore. There have already been several sightings this year, including a nine-foot white shark spotted off Long Island's South Shore in May. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.