Woman Who Vanished in Shark Attack While Snorkeling with Husband Was 'Following Dreams' on Hawaii Trip
The woman who disappeared while snorkeling with her husband in Hawaii earlier this month, which officials have concluded was a "tragic accident" caused by a shark attack, spoke about how she was "following" her dreams just days before tragedy struck.
Kristine Allen, a massage therapist and life coach from Bellingham, Wash., vanished on Dec. 8 in Maui as a large shark was seen in the waters, her husband, Blake Allen, told The Spokesman-Review.
In her final Facebook post, shared on Dec. 2, Kristine wrote about how she was "following dreams" during their trip by learning how to surf.
"I have wanted to learn to surf for years," she wrote, noting that the experience allowed her to understand the surfing metaphors she'd often used in a "deeper" way. "Our dreams give us the motivation to keep getting back up to catch the next one even if we got tumbled."
Continuing, she wrote, "Thank you Kainalu from Maui Surf and SUP! You are the best! We loved our lesson and the joy of riding [the waves]."
Facebook Kristine Allen
Kristine's colleagues honored her on social media, calling her a "bright light" and a "true friend to so many."
"Kristine lived with a joy and determination to squeeze absolutely every happiness she could from each moment!" reads a post from Infinite We, a health services company she founded. "She created a safe space for others to be themselves and to build a life they love, it was her passion and her purpose."
"Our thoughts and prayers are with her husband Blake and their family as they grieve," they added.
Last week, authorities released the findings of collaborative investigations into her disappearance.
On Dec. 8, officials responded to reports of a shark attack at Keawakepu Beach, according to Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR).
"Officers interviewed the missing woman's husband who said he encountered an 'aggressive' shark shortly after entering the water to snorkel about 50-yards off-shore," the department said in a statement.
The man told authorities he kept looking for his wife while the shark circled him and after it left his vicinity, authorities said.
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By the time it returned, the man told investigators, "he could see something red around the shark's gills," according to the DLNR. At the same 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."
Officials noted that the husband's account was corroborated by an eyewitness on the beach.
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A report from the investigating officer of the department's Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) found that based on the evidence, the "tragic accident" was classified as "shark attack-fatal."
Meanwhile, the Maui Police Department's report classified her disappearance as a "miscellaneous accident-fatal."
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Allen's body has not been recovered, although a snorkel set and part of a bathing suit were found, according to Hawaii News Now.
A search was called off on the afternoon of Dec. 9, after officials saw a large shark in the area.
