Danilo Gallinari’s Pregnant Wife Survived Terrifying Shark Attack
Pure nightmare fuel involving the former NBA player.
Former NBA player Danilo Gallinari and his pregnant wife found themselves in a scene out of "Jaws" when she discovered she'd been bitten by a shark while at a Puerto Rican beach.
Eleonora Boi, Gallinari's wife, first shared the news Aug. 1 in an Instagram video.
Boi believed she had been stung by a jellyfish at the crowded beach, also joined by her 4-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son, shared with Gallinari.
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 15: Danilo Gallinari #88 of the Washington Wizards warms up before the game against the Indiana Pacers at Capital One Arena on December 15, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
In an interview this week with E! News, Boi recounted the shark attack that sent her to the hospital.
"I felt a strong pain and my thigh was burning, but my idea was, ‘Maybe it’s a huge jellyfish,'" Boi recalled. "But, in reality, it wasn’t a jellyfish."
Six months pregnant at the time, Boi went for a walk in the water when she felt the growing pain in her leg. "Oh, my God, I was saying, ‘I don’t want to die,’ and ‘I want that my baby is safe,'" Boi said. "And I was crying. I was desperate, really desperate."
A Good Samaritan at the beach wrapped Boi's wound as Gallinari sought help. Boi was transported to the hospital.
"I would like to say thank you to this woman, because I don’t know her name, and I just want to say thank you to her because she helped a lot," Boi said of the helpful stranger.
From the hospital bed, Boi shared the news via her Instagram.
"I never thought I'd be attacked by a shark, especially near the shore on a crowded beach," Elenora posted Aug. 1. "Fortunately, my baby and I are fine.
"I was rescued promptly, and the surgery to repair my poor, bitten leg went well," Boi added. "Now I just have to recover from the terrible scare and try to forgive the great friend who betrayed me.
"I thank my husband, who, despite marrying Fantozzi-Boi, gave me all his love and so much courage," she continued. "Today he even missed the Bad Bunny concert, but he shouldn't get his hopes up, it's only for a short time."
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 17: Danilo Gallinari and Eleonora Boi are seen on November 17, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by TM/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
Gallinari, a 13-year veteran, carved a legacy as a sharpshooting forward with teams like the Knicks, Nuggets and Clippers. He currently plays for Vaqueros of Bayamon as part of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN).
Over 728 NBA games, Gallinari averaged 15.2 points.
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