Great white shark attack survivor shows off serious wounds
A great white shark attack survivor has been speaking out about his terrifying experience.
Craig Ison, 51, has opened up to ABC News about the moment a great white shark tried to "chew my leg off".
See also: 10 easiest places to get eaten by a shark
He was attacked while surfing with a friend at Evans Head in northern NSW, Australia, and was injured on his arm and leg.
He spend three days in an induced coma, and is leaving hospital this weekend after a month of treatment.
He said he thought he was "history" when the shark attacked, explaining: "I had my hand down next to my left leg and he just sheared half my hand off on his way through to hitting my leg.
"He has latched onto my left leg gnawed on my leg with my left hand smashed, blood pouring out everywhere.
"And his whole body's shaking trying to get me off my board so he can get both jaws into me; he only has his top teeth into me the rest are in the surf board, and I am thinking, 'oh, I am history'".
But survival instincts kicked in and Craig hit the shark's head "while he's chewing my leg", and it eventually let go.
Craig took the opportunity to get back to shore as quickly as possible, but said he was terrified, adding: "Luckily we weren't very far out but ... I felt so vulnerable like he could have come back and got me from behind - my legs - I would have been history, I would have had no defence then."
A friend of Mr Ison's who witnessed the incident said it was "like watching a Mick Fanning replay".
Pro surfer Mick Fanning was attacked by a great white shark live on TV in South Africa just days before Mr Ison's attack.
Mr Ison said Mick was "very lucky" to have escaped without any injuries.
The Guardian reports that Mr Fanning later gave away his $75,000 fee for talking about the incident on TV to another shark attack survivor, Matthew Lee, who suffered serious injuries to his legs when he was mauled in early July by a huge great white on the Gold Coast.
As for Mr Ison, he says he won't be going surfing again anytime soon.
"After what I've been through, there's just no way in the world you'd go back in the water, mate", he added.
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