A man who was attacked by two great white sharks as a teenager has revealed how the terrifying experience changed his life for the better. Shannon Ainslie, an avid surfer at 15, says he and his brothers spent « most of our time in the ocean ».
He described the morning of the attack at Nahoon Reef in East London, South Africa, as just another quiet day in « surfer’s paradise ». He remembered: « Oddly, I recall the smell of sardines in the air. Other surfers began paddling back to shore, but I remained in the lineup, oblivious to the impending danger.
« Suddenly, bam! I was hit by a four-metre great white shark from the left. It spun me around and pulled me underwater. Simultaneously, another shark struck my right side, but missed because the first shark had already got me. It all happened so fast – it felt like a dream. »
Despite the shock, Shannon felt an eerie calm as the giant sea predator clamped down on his arm and dragged him beneath the waves.
He continued: « When I finally managed to gasp for air, I looked at my hand and saw my fingers hanging off, my pinkie and ring fingers barely attached by the skin. There was a large bite on my hand, and blood was gushing out. »
Despite his severe injuries, Shannon began to paddle back towards the shore. « I was 100 metres out at sea, with two sharks in pursuit. That’s when the fear set in, » he added.
« I had heard the stories: sharks going back for a second and third time to finish a surfer off. I was shaking, crying, and panicking. It was the scariest moment and the worst feeling ever, knowing that you were going to get eaten. »
Luck was indeed with Shannon on that fateful day, as a gargantuan wave propelled him towards safety. But despite suffering severe wounds, Shannon reflects on the ordeal as an immensely transformative life event.
« Before the attack, I was an angry, depressed kid struggling with low self-esteem, even to the point of considering suicide, » he disclosed.
« But during the attack, I prayed for safety in the water and felt that Jesus was protecting me. Later, in the hospital, I prayed again – this time asking Jesus to help me overcome my ‘internal shark attacks’ like anger, depression, low self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts. »
« He did, and from that day forward, I experienced a profound sense of peace, joy, hope, and a renewed purpose in life. That was the most powerful healing I’ve ever experienced. »
Defying all expectations, he resumed surfing a mere six weeks after the attack.
These days Shannon finds himself in Norway, a land notably free of great whites, and he jokingly remarked: « Maybe it was a calculated move to somewhere less sharky. But even in the Arctic, I haven’t left the waves behind.
« I continue to surf and have made a career out of coaching others in the sport. Beyond coaching, I’m also deeply committed to raising awareness about shark conservation.
« On my Instagram and TikTok channels, I regularly talk about the critical role sharks play in our oceans. These incredible creatures are often misunderstood, but they’re truly beautiful animals that deserve our respect and protection. »
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