Jordan Lindsey: A Tribute to the Bahamas Shark Attack Victim

Jordan Lindsey is the American college student who was killed by three sharks while snorkeling in the Bahamas on the afternoon of June 26. The horror unfolded while Lindsey was vacationing with her family. She was 21 years old.

The attack occurred on Rose Island, a small uninhabited island three miles east of Paradise Island.

Lindsey is the second American to have been killed in a shark attack within the last month. In May 2019, Dr. Thomas Smiley, 65, died after being attacked by a shark in Ka’anapali State Park in Hawaii.

Shark attacks are not uncommon in the area where Lindsey was killed. In June 2017, North Carolina mother-of-three Tiffany Johnson lost her arm after being ambushed by a shark while snorkeling. A year earlier, Texas dentist Dr. Steven Cuthbirth was severely wounded by a shark while spearfishing in the Bahamas.

Here’s what you need to know about the life and tragic death of Jordan Lindsey:

1. Lindsey Was a ‘Devoted Animal Lover & Climate Change Advocate’

Lindsey was identified as a Loyola Marymount student in a statement from the school’s president, Timothy Law Snyder. Snyder wrote that Lindsey was a communications studies major as well as a “devoted animal lover and climate change advocate.”

Snyder went on to say that Lindsey had transferred to Loyola from Santa Monica College and had “participated in LMU’s Entrepreneurship Society, the Tau Sigma National Honor Society, and worked as a communications assistant for the LMU Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering. Jordan was also a student researcher with CURes, LMU’s Center for Urban Resilience.” A plaque in remembrance of Lindsey will be placed at the school.

According to Lindsey’s Facebook page, she began at the school in 2018. On her LinkedIn page, Lindsey described her interest and passion in animal biology, business sustainability and journalism. At the time of her tragic passing, Lindsey was working as an environmental research assistant at the Center for Urban Resilience.

2. Her Family Has Set Up a GoFundMe Page to Raise $25,000 to Bring Her Remains Home

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Lindsey’s younger sister, Madison Lindsey, set up a GoFundMe to help with funeral costs and the costs of transporting her body back to California. The goal of the page is $25,000.

The GoFundMe page’s description reads:

Jordan Lindsey was a beloved daughter, sister, girlfriend, and friend. On June 26, 2019 Jordan was tragically killed from a shark attack in the Bahamas. Jordan had the most beautiful, gentle soul and she will be missed deeply. Jordan’s body needs to be transported from the Bahamas back to her home of California, which is very expensive. This gofundme is being set up to help Jordan’s family pay for any travel and funeral expenses for Jordan’s body. Any amount helps. Thank you.”

You can donate to the GoFundMe here. A neighbor of the Lindsey family, Yvette Liao, told CBS Los Angeles of her shock, saying, “My heart is pounding, I cannot believe it. I don’t know — I don’t know how they’re gonna go through this.”

A friend wrote on the family’s GoFundMe page: “Jordan’s very special to us at CURes. Her innate kindness, beautiful soul, and curiosity will continue to inspire us. Sending support to Jordan’s family members and loved ones who are enduring this heartbreaking loss.”

3. Lindsey’s Family Tried to Warn Her About Sharks Closing in, but She Didn’t Hear Them

According to Paul Rolle, deputy commissioner for the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Lindsey was snorkeling with her family, including her parents, when the sharks attacked. Some family members tried to yell and warn her about the sharks, but she didn’t hear them, ABC 7 reported.

Michael Lindsey, her father, told the station that his wife, Kami, was “a few feet away when the shark attacked.” Michael Lindsey was not at the scene when the attack occurred as he was swimming in a different part of the island. He told ABC 7, “She said it happened so fast … My wife got to Jordan and pulled Jordan to shore by herself… My wife said no one told her there were three sharks.” In paying tribute to his daughter, Michael Lindsey said his child was a “great daughter and person” and that, “We already miss her terribly.”

In a separate statement to NBC News, Michael Lindsey: “Her name was Jordan Lindsey…we already miss her so much… She was so caring. She loved all animals. It’s ironic she would die getting attacked by a shark.”

4. When Lindsey’s Mother Pulled Her to the Shore, She Had Already Lost Too Much Blood

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Three sharks attacked Lindsey while she was snorkeling, Bahamian officials said. They bit her legs, buttocks, arms, and severed her right arm. When Lindsey’s mother got her to the shore, the 21-year-old had already lost too much blood. Lindsey’s body is due to undergo an autopsy in Nassau.

Jace Holton, who had been snorkeling in the area less than an hour before the attack, told KTLA 5 that workers had jumped in to try to help her.

She was taken to Doctor’s Hospital in Nassau and was pronounced dead there, Fox 5 reported.

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The attack happened around 2 p.m. during a snorkeling expedition near Rose Island, a popular tourist destination. It averages 4.8 out of 5 stars with 58 Google reviews, and 4.5 out of 5 stars with 250 Trip Advisor reviews. Rose Island is known for adventures like snorkeling and yacht cruises. And although it’s not the primary location for swimming with pigs, you can swim with pigs on this island too.

The tragedy comes nearly a year after a boat explosion in the Bahamas at Great Exuma Island. One passenger on the boat died and others suffered severe injuries. Although the Exumas and Rose Island are part of the Bahamas, they are not the same island.

5. The Bahamian Government Has Issued Swimming Advisories in the Wake of the Attack

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The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation told ABC 7: “The Ministry of Tourism, on behalf of the Government and the people of The Bahamas expresses its condolences and deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of the victim of Wednesday’s shark attack off Rose Island, near New Providence.”

After the attack, the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources issued precautionary advisories, CNN reported.

They will be assessing if the water is safe.