December 10th 2024.
A teenage surfer named Zachary Hlaing had a close encounter with a shark while out catching waves with a friend south of Perth. Despite the frightening experience, Zachary has made a vow to return to the water.
Zachary, who is just 15 years old, is no stranger to the water and often spends his days surfing. However, his morning surf with his friend will be one he won't soon forget. While waiting for a wave to come, he suddenly felt something latch onto his leg. He then saw a big tail flap up and a splash before the shark let go.
Another surfer, Jay Reeves, was also in the water at the time and witnessed the incident. He described how Zachary calmly screamed that he had been bitten by a shark and then became the most collected person he had ever met. Jay also noticed Zachary's foot bleeding and was amazed at how the adrenaline kicked in, blocking the pain.
Despite the injury, Zachary managed to paddle back to shore with the help of his two fellow surfers. He was hobbling and had to be given a piggyback by Jay. They quickly wrapped him up in a towel, loaded him and the surfboards into the car, and rushed him to the hospital.
At the hospital, doctors found a piece of the shark's tooth or bone fragment in Zachary's leg. He will need surgery, but he is in good spirits and says the pain is not as bad as he thought it would be. The species of shark has yet to be identified, but it is estimated to be around three meters long.
Despite this harrowing experience, Zachary is determined not to let it keep him out of the water for long. He plans to return as soon as his leg has healed, although he may avoid the same spot for a while. He remains optimistic and even joked that maybe he will need a bigger surfboard now. With a positive attitude like that, it's no surprise that Zachary is eager to get back in the water.
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