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Exclusive: Houston family recalls own seal attack

When the sea lion video attack went viral earlier this week, Nina Hendee didn't have to watch the whole video to know how it would end.

When the sea lion video attack went viral earlier this week, Nina Hendee didn't have to watch the whole video to know how it would end.

"I just knew when I saw the young woman pointing at the sea lion, what was about to happen," Hendee said.

She'd lived through the same panic before.

"It's still frightening," Hendee said. "Makes my heart race to see that again."

It was August 10, 2010, on a dock just one mile from where this month's viral incident happened. Her daughter in law had just caught a massive 26-pound salmon. They were cleaning it, throwing scraps into the water.

Her grandchildren, including 3-year-old Hudson, were looking on. Seals started to gather when it happened.

"He must have thought my hand was food," Hudson said. "He jumped up and bit my hand."

"Next thing we knew, he was gone, he was under," Hendee said. "I hit the dock to try and grab him thinking that the seal would let go of him, but he didn't."

"My grandma pulled me out by the hoodie," Hudson said.

"Actually ripped Hudson's hand out of the seal's mouth," Hendee said.

Doctors at Vancouver's Children Hospital treated little Hudson's hand. Now, 7 years later, Hudson is 10 years old, and his hand is in perfect shape, enough to play football with his brother in the backyard.

Although his memory of that August day isn't crystal clear, Hudson knows one thing for sure.

"I don't like visiting the sea lions," he said.

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