Pregnant wife of former NBA forward Danilo Gallinari still shaken after shark attack

Eleonora Boi, the wife of former NBA forward Danilo Gallinari, says she is still shaken after a shark attack left her hospitalized earlier this month in Puerto Rico.

Speaking Thursday on Good Morning America, Boi, who is six months pregnant, recalled the frightening moment that left her with injuries to her thigh.

“I have to say that I’m traumatized,” Boi said. “I started crying and screaming, and I was screaming for help in Italian.”

Boi was swimming with Gallinari and their two children — a 4-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son — in waist-deep water in Carolina when the attack occurred. She initially thought the sharp pain in her leg came from a jellyfish sting.

“I felt a strong pain and my thigh was burning, but my idea was, ‘Maybe it’s a huge jellyfish,’” she said. “But, in reality, it wasn’t a jellyfish.”

The family rushed from the water, and a bystander quickly came to her aid. A woman pressed a towel against the wound until others arrived to help.

“Oh, my God, I was saying, ‘I don’t want to die,’ and ‘I want my baby to be safe,’” Boi said. “I was desperate, really desperate.”

Boi credited the woman for helping save her.

“She was an angel,” Boi said. “Danilo was with me, and she helped so much. I just want to say thank you to her because she helped a lot.”

Doctors performed hours of tests to ensure Boi’s pregnancy was not at risk before proceeding with surgery.

Gallinari later revealed the couple is expecting a boy. She is expected to make a full recovery and has weekly checkups scheduled.

On Instagram, Boi initially tried to inject humor into the ordeal, joking that her legal representatives would soon be contacting the shark. But she admitted the memory still leaves her unsettled.

“I have to be honest, it’s not easy,” she said. “When I remember, I’m still scared. It’s difficult.”

Boi and Gallinari were married in 2022. Gallinari, who played 14 NBA seasons with several teams including the Knicks, spent this past year playing in Puerto Rico’s top basketball league.