What began as a Florida beach outing became a life-threatening emergency after a Georgia man said he got his pregnant fiancée to safety and then fought off a shark near shore at Daytona Beach, according to Fox 5.
He made it back to shore alive, but after surgery, he now faces a recovery that could keep him away from work for months.
What happened?
On a recent Saturday evening, 22-year-old Jacorey High of Henry County was in the water with his fiancée when a medium-sized shark attacked him, he told the station.
He said there was no doubt about what had bitten him once it latched onto his left leg.
"I realized right away it was a shark because of the way it bit down on my foot, but I was more worried about getting my fiancée out of the water," High recalled to FOX 5.
High said the encounter did not end with that first bite.
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"Then it came up to try to get my arm, so I had to push it away from me," he added. "I ran, and it tried to get my other leg."
He estimated the shark was about the height of the span from his leg to his waist.
The severity of the injury became clear after he got out of the water, when he saw heavy bleeding from his foot and was taken to a nearby hospital.
High said doctors told him the wound was severe and that healing could take about three months, per Fox 5. Officials have not confirmed the shark species, and it remains unclear whether he will have any permanent damage.
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Why does it matter?
Incidents like this are uncommon overall. Georgia Aquarium experts noted that unprovoked shark attacks usually total only about 60 to 65 worldwide each year, per Fox 5.
Still, these incidents are high-profile when they do occur. There are areas globally where these attacks pop up more often, and it's imperative beachgoers pay attention to alerts and warnings of shark activity.
What's being done?
For now, High's immediate next step is healing. With surgery behind him, he is focused on whether his foot will recover well enough for him to return to work, per Fox 5.
"Hoping that it didn't really mess up anything important in my foot so that I can go back to work," High said.
There is a GoFundMe to help him in his recovery from the attack.
For beachgoers, experts generally recommend lowering risk by swimming near lifeguards, avoiding the water at dawn or dusk, staying away from areas with bait fish or active fishing, and leaving the water immediately if wildlife is spotted. Avoiding going in the ocean with open wounds can also help reduce risk.
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