How Diving With Sharks Helped Lisa Guerrero Conquer Her Fears

Even a fearless investigative reporter gets intimidated once in a while.

Inside Edition's Chief Investigative Correspondent Lisa Guerrero revealed how she fought her fear of sharks by diving with them for a story that aired last week.

“I got a call from my producer asking if I would do a shark dive. My first reaction was, ‘No,’” Guerrero said. “I was not willing. I am afraid of going underwater and I am afraid of sharks.”

She said her fear of open water began in her childhood, growing up in Southern California. She also grew to fear sharks after watching the movie "Jaws" as a little girl.

“I’ve always been afraid of being underwater,” she said. “I’ve never been snorkeling or scuba diving so I’ve never worn that equipment.”

But she ultimately agreed to the shark dive, inspired by celebrities like WWE wrestler Ronda Rousey who faced their fears to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Discovery Channel’s Shark Week.

Guerrero said the Long Island Aquarium in New York made her feel safe by talking her through the equipment she would be using, and by explaining what to expect when she’d be submerged in the shark tank.

“Nothing could really prepare me for how massive the sharks were, and you don’t get a sense of that when you watch television or in the movies,” she recalled. “At one point one of the sharks actually opened up its mouth while I was holding the GoPro and I almost dropped it. That’s how scary they are in real life.”

Guerrero said she also came to appreciate sharks and being underwater.

“The sharks themselves are gorgeous creatures,” she said. “In fact, when you see them in real life [they] almost had like a gold-looking glitter on them, and when they come up to you they kind of sparkle. They were really beautiful. Of course they’re massive and terrifying, but in their own way, they’re beautiful creatures.”

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