Being able to enjoy the ocean is one of the appeals of living in Florida.
But no one can be quite sure what might join them when they enter the water.
And a Florida man went through hell after his spearfishing trip went wrong fast.
Florida man survives a shark attack while spearfishing
Jose Abreu Hernandez, 37, took his two sons with him while he went spearfishing with a friend in the waters off Key West, Florida.
Hernandez was near a reef when, out of nowhere, he was charged by a bull shark.
“He’s too fast, he’s too fast,” Hernandez told WSVN-TV. “I only say that this is the end for me.”
The eight-foot-long bull shark was able to bite him multiple times.
Hernandez said that the shark’s attack lasted about 15 seconds.
He knew that he had to act fast to get away from the rampaging shark.
“You don’t have time to be scared,” Hernandez told WTVJ-TV. “Only you need to escape the shark. It’s the only option.
A friend saves the day for a spearfisherman
Hernandez said that his friend came to his rescue to send the shark fleeing.
The friend managed to stab the shark in its mouth with his spearfish gun, which was enough to scare it off.
The entire time his two sons were watching the life-and-death struggle with the shark from the boat.
My kids, I say ‘Hey daddy, no die, no die,’” Hernandez said. “I said ‘Hey don’t worry, this is small, this is nothing, this is small.”
His friend was able to help him back to the boat where he was able to call for help.
Hernandez was airlifted to a local hospital where he received treatment for bits to his arms, chest, and leg.
He credits his friend’s bravery with saving him from the worst.
“I am here for my friend,” Hernandez said. “He saved my life.”
Now he faces a long road to recovery after he had surgery on his leg.
“He lost a lot of blood and required surgery and a blood transfusion,” Marcos Mendez, his nephew, wrote on a GoFundMe for his uncle. “The surgeon said he is lucky to be alive. However, it will be a long road to recovery to walk again and he will be out of work for months.”
Hernandez is slated to begin physical therapy as soon as he begins his recovery.
Despite nearly losing his life to a shark, he is still in good spirits.
And he wants to go back out spearfishing again once he makes a full recovery.
But he has learned one lesson from his experience for the next time that he goes out.
“When you fishing alone, you don’t have a chance, you don’t have an opportunity for nothing,” Hernandez explained.
Florida has been named the shark bite capital of the world according to the annual shark attack report from the Florida Museum of Natural History.
Shark attacks are extremely rare but are one of the most terrifying experiences in nature.
DeSantis Daily will keep you up-to-date on any developments to this ongoing story.
