LAGUNA NIGUEL (CBSLA.com) — The German tourist who lost an arm in a Maui shark attack has died, according to one of the men who tried to save her life.
Rick Moore was one of two friends from Orange County staying in Maui last week when the shark attacked the woman.
Moore and a friend, Nick Grisaffi, were hailed as heroes after they rescued the woman whose right arm had just been bitten off by a shark.
The 20-year-old woman, now identified as Jana Lutteropp, was attacked near White Rock Beach off the coast of Maui.
Lutteropp was aware her condition was grave, said Moore.
“I instantly felt this compassion for her,” said Moore, “I told her it was going to be okay. Help is on the way. She kept saying, ‘I’m dying, I’m going to die.”‘
Moore, a Laguna Niguel resident, PE teacher and volunteer pastor, told the woman, “‘We’re going to get you to shore. We’re going to save you.’”
He told Claudia Peschiutta, reporting for KNX 1070 Wednesday, that the woman’s death hits him particularly close to home — because he has two children about her age.