From OutKick · Sean Joseph · · 1m 20s
He paddled into bloody water to save a stranger
A surfer lost his foot to a shark off Western Australia, and the man who pulled him out was standing on the beach.
In brief
A surfer lost his foot to a shark off Western Australia, and the man who pulled him out was standing on the beach. The difference between a fatal shark attack and a survivable one is usually how fast someone gets you to shore and stops the bleeding. Originally reported by OutKick.
A morning surf alone
Mel Ismail, a 56-year-old father from Western Australia, was in the water by himself at Glenfield Beach on Monday morning when a shark bit him.
It took his foot
The shark bit his leg and he lost his foot. It also clamped the surfboard and tore a chunk out of it.
Someone was watching
Shannon Dunn was standing on the shore and saw Ismail waving for help. He works for the region's emergency services.
Straight into the blood
Dunn grabbed his board and paddled out into the bloodied water with the shark still unaccounted for, then towed Ismail back to the beach.
“He didn't hesitate.”
A tourniquet from a leash
On the sand, some teenagers cut in and rigged a tourniquet out of surfboard rope. Dunn loaded Ismail into his vehicle and drove him to a waiting ambulance.
“Some heroes wear capes. Some enjoy surfing and also drive a Ute.”
Stable, long road ahead
Ismail is in serious but stable condition in intensive care at Geraldton Health Campus. Part of Glenfield Beach closed while authorities investigate.
“He has sustained serious injuries and faces a long recovery.”
What matters most
The difference between a fatal shark attack and a survivable one is usually how fast someone gets you to shore and stops the bleeding.
