iStockphoto / DigtialStorm / Damien VERRIER
A surfer in Oahu, Hawaii is recovering after surviving a shark attack recently on the South Shore. It is believe the animal that bit him was an 8-foot Galapagos shark.
Koa Smith is a veteran surfer on Oahu’s South Shore and says he will not be deterred from getting back in the water once he is cleared by the doctors, despite suffering traumatic injuries.
Oahu Surfer Describes Vicious Shark Attack At Kaikoos
While sitting in his bed at The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, Koa Smith described his shark attack to Hawaii News Now. What started like any other surf session at Kaikoos on a Saturday morning quickly turned into a nightmare.
Smith said “it really did feel like somebody just came from behind, grabbed my ankle and pulled. And I was just confused. So I turned around to see who’s doing this, who’s grabbing me. And yeah, it was just a shark.”
As for the injury, he described the lasting damage. Saying “it’s my left leg. The whole side of my calf is pretty much wide open. And then my right foot has a pretty big gash on it. Yeah, so it got both legs.”
According to the reports, he suffered a 10-inch gash on one leg and a 5-inch gash on the other. He was forced to undergo multiple surgeries due to the shark bites and was recovering at Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii.
The hardest part, according to what Koa told Hawaii News Now, is sitting in his hospital bed recovering and scrolling Instagram seeing all of the ripping waves in Oahu during recent swells. He’s eager and ready to get back out there following his shark attack.
Koa said “as soon as the doctors let me, I’m back out there” which is a testament to how much he truly loves the water. Many people, and rightfully so, would think twice before getting back in the water after a life-changing shark attack.