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Charles E. Vansant Memorial

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How does a shark attack in New Jersey connect to the Charles E. Vansant Memorial here in Philadelphia? The Charles E. Vansant Memorial marks the grave of the first victim of the infamous 1916 Jersey Shore shark attacks. Charles Epting Vansant, a young man from Philadelphia, met a tragic end during a holiday trip to Beach Haven, New Jersey. Seeking respite from a polio outbreak gripping big cities, Charles and his family traveled to the coastal resort town. On July 1st, 1916, Charles went for a swim in the ocean before dinner. What started as a relaxing dip turned into a nightmare when a shark attacked him. Despite being rescued from the water, Charles tragically bled to death from a severed femoral artery. This horrifying incident marked the beginning of a series of shark attacks that terrorized the Jersey Shore that summer. Charles’s story, a tragic prelude to a summer of fear and uncertainty, serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of the ocean and the indelible mark it can leave on history.

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