San Juan, Puerto Rico – Eleonora Boi, the pregnant wife of former NBA player Danilo Gallinari, is recounting the terrifying moment she was bitten by a shark while swimming with her two children in Puerto Rico. The Italian sports journalist says she is still “traumatized,” but remains deeply grateful to the stranger who rushed to her aid.

A Birthday Trip Turns Into a Nightmare

On August 1, Boi shared on Instagram that she was attacked by a shark while vacationing with her family at a Carolina resort. The incident took place in waist-deep water, close to shore, where she and Gallinari were swimming with their young children.

Appearing alongside her husband on Good Morning America on August 14, Boi described the harrowing moment.
“I have to say that I’m traumatized,” she admitted. “I started crying and screaming, and I was screaming for help in Italian.”

At first, she thought it might have been a jellyfish sting.
“I felt a strong pain, and my thigh was burning. My idea was maybe it is a huge jellyfish. But in reality, it wasn’t.”

A Desperate Fight for Safety

Gallinari recalled rushing toward his wife and daughter in panic before helping everyone back to shore.
“I just wanted to get them safe,” he said.

Boi, pregnant at the time, confessed that her greatest fear was for her unborn child.
“Oh my God, I was saying, ‘I don’t want to die.’ And I wanted my baby safe, and I was crying. I was desperate,” she shared.

Once on shore, a woman stepped in to apply first aid, pressing a towel against the wound to stop the bleeding.
“She was an angel,” Boi said emotionally. “I don’t know her name, but I just want to say thank you, because she helped a lot.”

Emergency Response and Surgery

When first responders arrived, Boi was transported to the hospital — where staff admitted they had never treated a shark bite victim before. She underwent extensive testing to ensure her pregnancy was not at risk before being cleared for surgery on her leg.

Gallinari explained: “After they gave us confirmation that the baby was okay, they started the surgery process.”

Thankfully, both mother and child are physically safe. Still, the psychological scars remain.
“I have to be honest, it’s not easy,” Boi admitted. “When I remember, I’m still scared. It’s difficult.”

Gallinari added: “I think the body in this situation recovers faster than the mind. And that’s something you don’t have to be ashamed of.”

“The Worst Day of My Life”

On Instagram, Boi described the ordeal as “the worst day of my life”.
“I never thought I could get attacked by a shark, and I was near the shore and on a super crowded beach,” she wrote. “Thankfully me and my baby are fine, I was rushed to surgery and my poor bruised leg is healing.”

Showing her sense of humor despite the trauma, she quipped: “Shark will hear from my legals soon as possible.”

Gallinari’s Career and Life Today

Boi married Gallinari in July 2022. The Italian forward, drafted by the New York Knicks in 2008, went on to play for multiple NBA teams including the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Atlanta Hawks, and Milwaukee Bucks. He left the NBA in 2024 and now plays for Vaqueros de Bayamón in Puerto Rico.

As Boi continues her recovery, the couple says they are focusing on their family and the safe arrival of their new baby. For now, gratitude outweighs fear — especially for the “angel” stranger whose quick action may have saved her life.