Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
Shark attacks have historically been few and far between in Puerto Rico despite the factors that seemingly make the island a prime destination for the predators. However, the pregnant wife of former NBA player Danilo Gallinari became just one of a handful of people to be bitten by one in its waters during an incident where she thankfully avoided any serious injury.
I think most people are aware that the chances of being the victim of a shark attack are pretty low in the grand scheme of things. In 2024, there were just 47 reported cases of “unprovoked bites” around the globe, and just four of those resulted in a fatality.
With that said, there are certain factors that can increase the odds of being targeted by one of those animals. It’s obviously pretty hard to be bitten by one if you avoid going in the water in the first place, and it’s also somewhat obvious that you’re more likely to encounter them in regions where they’re known to congregate.
The United States, which boasts around 95,000 miles of coastline, historically leads the pack when it comes to the countries where the most shark attacks occur on an annual basis. Those totals account for those that transpire in the waters off Puerto Rico, but the American territory hasn’t historically been a hotbed; according to the International Shark Attack File, there have only been 11 recorded unprovoked incidents there over the past century.
As of the start of this week, the most recent one had occurred when a spearfisherman was bitten 11 miles off the coast in 2015, but the “Days Since” counter has been reset due to what transpired at a resort near San Juan.
Danilo Gallinari’s wife suffered a non-life-threatening injury after being bitten by a shark in Puerto Rico
Danilo Gallinari, the Italian forward who was drafted by the Knicks with the sixth overall pick in 2008, seemingly brought his NBA career to an end after 14 seasons following brief stints with the Wizards, Pistons, and Bucks during the 2023-24 campaign.
The man who will celebrate his 37th birthday on August 8th is currently playing for Vaqueros de Bayamón, the team that plays in Puerto Rico’s Baloncesto Superior Nacional, after inking a contract with the squad earlier this year.
His wife, Eleonora, joined him on the island as she prepares to give birth to their third child, and El Nuevo Dia reports she made her way into the water at a resort in Carolina (located immediately east of the capital city of San Juan) before suffering an “open wound to her thigh” in what appeared to be a shark attack.
The outlet notes a biologist from Puerto Rico’s Department of Natural and Environmental Resources said they need to examine the bite in person before being able to confirm it was the result of a shark bite but added they examined photos of the wounds that appeared to be consistent with one.
Gallinari’s wife was thankfully listed in stable condition after being transported to a hospital in Río Piedra for treatment.