PICTURED: Washington woman, 60, who was ‘eaten by aggressive shark’ and posted on Facebook just days before that she was ‘following her dreams’ by learning how to surf
- Kristine Allen, 60, was on vacation in Hawaii when she was reported missing
- Her husband, Blake, told authorities they were snorkeling off the coast of Maui when he saw a shark pass by but could no longer find his wife
- Witnesses later reported seeing a shark apparently feeding on something
- Just days before, she posted that she was following her dreams
A 60-year-old woman who was likely killed by an aggressive shark while snorkeling earlier this month had posted about how she was living her dreams just days before.
Kristine Allen, of Bellingham, Washington, was on vacation in Hawaii with her husband, Blake, on December 8 when he reported that he could no longer find his wife in the vast ocean.
He and other witnesses later revealed that they had seen what is believed to be a large tiger shark swimming by at the time, with some reporting to local authorities that they saw the shark feeding on something in a pool of red water.
Just days before, though, Kristi had posted on Facebook that she was ‘following dreams’ as she posted photos of her learning how to surf.
Just days before she was eaten by a shark, Kristi Allen posted on Facebook that she was ‘following her dreams’ by learning how to surf
The 60-year-old massage therapist and life coach wrote: ‘Our dreams give us the motivation to keep getting back up to catch the next [wave] even if we got tumbled
The massage therapist and life coach wrote on December 2 that she had wanted to learn how to surf for years.
‘I have used surfing metaphors for years: Work to get on the wave then ride the wave; Don’t over work use the universal force like a wave to carry you to your dreams,’ she posted along with photos of her climbing up on the board. ‘But I had never surfed.’
‘Now that I have, the metaphors hold even deeper felt sense. You paddle, paddle, paddle then pop up. Ride the wave (hopefully) or fall off then paddle back for the next wave. Much like creating.
‘The fun is in the creating,’ she continued. ‘Our dreams give us the motivation to keep getting back up to catch the next one even if we got tumbled.’
Her friends responded to the Facebook post cheering her on in her endeavors, only for her post to receive a slew of other comments days later ranging from ‘May you enjoy your Heavenly Waves, sweet friend’ to ‘There aren’t many people in the world who know how to make you feel wanted. She made me feel that way.’
Others who did not know Kristi also offered their condolences on the post, including one woman who revealed she was in the area that day.
‘It’s hard to believe that you were taken away in this [manner],’ Heather Saunders wrote. ‘I have only hoped that it was painless and quick.’
Kristi was on a vacation to Hawaii on December 8 with her husband Blake, when he reported her missing. He said he saw a shark swim by and could no longer spot his wife
Authorities say Kristi and Blake were snorkeling about 50 yards off the coast of Keawakapu Point in South Maui when Blake said he saw a shark pass by but could no longer find is wife.
The shark continued to swim by several times, he said, before he swam to shore to report Kristi missing.
Crews from the US Coast Guard, Maui Fire Department and ocean rescue teams then scoured the skies and the waters below for 40 hours before the search was called off.
By December 9, Department of Land and Natural Resources officials had concluded she was likely eaten by a shark based on interviews with multiple beachgoers who said they saw a tiger shark apparently feeding on something in a pool of red water – though a body has not yet been recovered.
Rescue crews search for the missing woman, now determined to have been eaten by a shark off the coast of Maui, Hawaii
Shark warnings were initially posted nearby, but were eventually taken down
‘He and his wife were not snorkeling right next to one another and he could only see her from time to time. As the shark continued to circle him he continued looking for his wife…popping his head out of the water and scanning the surface,’ spokesman Dan Dennison said at a news conference.
He said Blake ‘did spot something in the distance and then the shark came back, and he could see something red around the shark’s gills.’
‘At the time, he said people on the beach began yelling at him to get out of the water because a shark was feeding in the area.’
Dennison said one witness even tried to warn the couple ‘when he saw the shark’s large mouth continuing to feed on something in the middle of the red cloud in the water.’
‘He continued yelling for the man to get out of the water but no longer was seeing the woman,’ he said.
Only a snorkel set and part of a bathing suit were recovered.