An eight-foot-long shark attacked a 60-year-old man in shallow water on the final day of his vacation at Sea Pines Beach in South Carolina - and he has now issued crucial advice to beachgoers.
The survivor, identified as John Mistler, a 60-year-old man from Nashville, was enjoying the ocean on his boogie board in about five feet of water, surrounded by other swimmers. Suddenly, he felt a sharp bite and turned to see the massive shark with his right foot fully in its mouth, down to the ankle.
In a desperate bid to free himself, John made eye contact with the shark and managed to jerk his foot out of its mouth. However, the attack had already caused severe damage, ripping his flesh, severing tendons, and lacerating an artery, causing blood to gush out.
Blood was gushing out of his foot and he was rushed to hospital (NEWS CHANNEL5)John said: "The blood was gushing out pretty good. If I was by myself, I would have bled out on the beach."
Fortunately, the quick response and kindness of strangers on the beach played a crucial role in saving his life. A heroic nurse present at the scene immediately rushed to his aid and wrapped his severely injured foot in a towel.
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First responders who arrived shortly after applied tourniquets to stem the blood flow from the severed artery. He was quickly transported to Hilton Head Hospital, where surgeons skillfully treated his injuries, administering nearly 100 stitches and staples to save his foot.,
Officials closed a portion of the beach for the remainder of the day following the incident (NEWS CHANNEL5)The area was closed to bathers after the incident. Beach markers 33 to 42 were off-limits for the remainder of the day.
Despite the traumatic ordeal, Keven remains in good spirits and bears no hard feelings towards the shark. However, he now advises fellow beachgoers to be prepared for such emergencies.
He issued some potentially lifesaving advice to fellow beachgoers: "Add a tourniquet to your first aid kit - in case you also get bitten."
Beachgoers were warned to be careful in the ocean around early morning and dusk as it's during these hours that wildlife activities are "usually greater". (Getty Images)Experts reported an increase in close encounters with sharks this year, but it hasn't led to a significant rise in shark bites in the US. As of this year, there have been 37 documented shark attacks worldwide.
Beachgoers are urged to take shark safety precautions, including swimming in groups, staying close to the shore, and avoiding murky water, as sharks may mistake a person for prey if visibility is poor.
It comes just one week after a surfer was attacked by a shark in Florida, taking a chunk out of his food. Chris Pospisil was out surfing on Florida's east coast on Friday, July 14, when a shark came up from underneath him, tipping his board and dragging him underwater.
Chris had been surfing with his friend, Reece Redish, at New Smyrna Beach when the incident happened, which left Chris with extensive damage to his foot. He had to undergo a four-hour surgery to repair seven tendons, and a skin graft to wrap around his inured foot.
Pieces of the shark's tooth were even found which had shattered and stuck in his bone. Chris recalled: "The shark came from under me, on my board and tipped me backwards off my board, and I was falling backwards, I saw my foot in his mouth, and it dragged me under.
"[Reece's actions] really made a difference. You know, if he wasn’t there, I think it could have been way worse, and I think I definitely wouldn’t have gotten to the shore in time and probably would have passed out in the water."
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