Remember LeeBeth, the great white shark who made history? Here's the story behind her name

Alexis Simmerman and Brian Broom, Austin American-Statesman
·2 min read
1

LeeBeth, the great white shark that made history in the Gulf of Mexico in early March, captured the attention of marine scientists and researchers as well as the general public. We might even say she's somewhat of a shark celebrity.

But do you know the story behind her name? Here's what we know.

Who is LeeBeth named after?

Ed Young first caught LeeBeth in an expedition with Capt. Chip Michalove of Outcast Sport Fishing near Hilton Head off the coast of South Carolina. While Michalove tagged the 14.1-foot, 2,600-pound female, Young presented her with a name: LeeBeth.

The name carries emotional significance for Young, as it's the name of his late daughter.

"We named this shark after our daughter LeeBeth who loved shark fishing passionately since she was little," Young shared in an Instagram post. "I’m overwhelmed with emotion thinking about how she would have reacted to these moments…"

LeeBeth, a 14-foot, 2,600-pound great white shark, was caught in December at Hilton Head and outfitted with a GPS transmitter. Her last known location was 20 miles south of Gulfport, Mississippi on March 17.
LeeBeth, a 14-foot, 2,600-pound great white shark, was caught in December at Hilton Head and outfitted with a GPS transmitter. Her last known location was 20 miles south of Gulfport, Mississippi on March 17.

Young is a senior pastor at Fellowship Church, a megachurch in Grapevine, Texas, along with his wife Lisa Young. According to his website, Young wears many hats: pastor, speaker, author − and yes, fisherman.

Ed and Lisa Young's daughter, LeeBeth, passed away in 2021 at the age of 34. In a sermon, the couple recounted what had led to LeeBeth's passing. LeeBeth had struggled with mental health for several years prior to her death and had developed alcoholism as a way to cope.

Where is LeeBeth now?

LeeBeth is quite the traveler, according to Capt. Chip Michalove of Outcast Sport Fishing. Michalove estimated the shark to be about 30 years old and said she's covered well over 2,600 miles in the past three months. Over the last several months, she's traveled from South Carolina to the western Gulf of Mexico and her last tracking signal came Sunday in Mississippi waters.

More: A great white shark is making history in the Gulf of Mexico. Where is LeeBeth now?

According to the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy (AWSC), LeeBeth's travels mark the farthest west into the Gulf of Mexico a white shark has ever been recorded. More recently, she gave locations twice on Saturday and another on Sunday. If she stays on track, she's even closer to the Mississippi coastline now. The shark's last ping was recorded 20 miles south of Biloxi and Gulfport.

Researchers have tracked LeeBeth's movements from Hilton Head, SC to South Padre Island, TX.
Researchers have tracked LeeBeth's movements from Hilton Head, SC to South Padre Island, TX.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Great white shark LeeBeth pings near New Orleans, name origin revealed