(NewsNation) — A Florida man has described how a surfboard leash helped save his life after he was bitten by a shark while surfing at New Smyrna Beach.
Matthew Bender joined “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” to discuss the July 6 attack that has left him without feeling in the back of his hand.
Florida shark attack
Despite his wound, a full recovery is possible — a remarkable reality given his forearm was in a shark’s mouth over the holiday weekend.
“Feeling so blessed to have my life, my arm, the use of my hand, and potentially, a full recovery,” Bender said.
“It could be totally inconsequential,” he said of the injuries. “Aside from some scars, I just feel super grateful. Thank you, Lord.”
Shark bite capital of the world
Bender was paddling out for a third wave at New Smyrna Beach, which is known as the shark bite capital of the world, when he felt a “very hard” and forceful bite.
“It shook its head,” he said of the shark. “By the time I looked down, it was gone, and all I saw was red.
“I knew I was bitten by a shark even before I looked down. I went into business mode, like, ‘got to get back to the beach.'”
He rode a wave to shore, and a 16-year-old surfer and her father rushed over to help and called 911.
“I was putting my arm over my head … I was trying to keep the arteries from gushing,” Bender said while adding that part of his forearm had “no skin on it.”
Shark attack survivor thankful for ‘miracle’
He realized he could use the 16-year-old’s surfboard leash as a tourniquet, and his friends helped wrap it around his arm.
“That really did stop the bleeding,” he said. “Good to wear a leash, [unlike] me.”
Bender said a prayer before he paddled out, asking God to keep him safe throughout his surf.
“He did keep me safe overall, and I feel like through this whole thing, he is being glorified, because it’s just a miracle that I don’t have any pain in my arm.”