“Most Terrifying Things” 29-Year-Old Recalls a Life-Threatening Shark Attack Experience From 2016

Published 03/16/2023, 4:00 PM EDT

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Shark attacks are one of the biggest threats to surfers. There have been endless stories of surfers getting injured or killed. Recently, shark attack survivor Brett Connellan shared how he looked into the eye of a shark when it was about to bite him in his left leg leading to a near-death experience.

Connellan shared his experience in his documentary film, Attacking Life, on the streaming service, Stan. He revealed that the attack almost led him to a leg-amputation situation.

Brett Connellan’s worst nightmare came true while surfing

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Seven years ago, Connellan experienced a deadly shark attack at Bombo Beach in Kiama, Australia. He was 100 meters away from the beach when he realized that his worst nightmare had come to fruition. It made him feel that he cannot do anything to save himself. However, he began battling with the shark.

Connellan revealed in the documentary, “The look in the shark’s eyes, at the moment it’s one of the most terrifying things you can look at because it’s not something you can reason with.”

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He also stated that he vividly remembers the sharp skin of the shark. The then 22-year-old had tried to hold the shark by his arms while feeling the texture of his skin, which was “really rough”. Remembering it gives him weird sensations. Another vivid memory was the absence of sound while he was tussling with the shark. It felt like someone had turned the sound off.

In that fight, the shark had bitten off a huge chunk of the survivor’s left thigh. When the deadly creature approached for a second attack, he pushed it away. By that point, Brett’s friend, Joel Trist, came to rescue him. Once he was brought back to the shore, his girlfriend provided him with first aid.

Initially, the doctors told him that he would never be able to walk again. Fortunately, surgeons were able to save him from a potential leg amputation.

Read More: Shocking Visuals Showed Surfer Eaten Alive by Tiger Shark Once During Friend’s Rescue Attempt

Connellan has revealed his entire story in the documentary, Attacking Life, to inspire many across the world.

What made Brett Connellan share his story in a documentary?

The shark bite had taken away three-quarters of Brett’s left leg. The surgeons had taken a large number of muscles from his lats and attached them to his quadriceps. Luckily, he recovered, after which he spent months in rehab trying to walk.

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Surprisingly, when Brett began walking, he resumed his surfing journey once again. Eventually, he realized how far he had come in life from a deadly shark attack. Hence, he decided to share his story with the world, revealing how the attack played the role of a catalyst in his life. Most importantly, he did not let the attack define him.

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Watch This Story: Here’s what happened when Michael Phelps raced a great white shark

His documentary will be released on Thursday, 16 March 2023.

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Written by:

Muskan Sharma

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Muskan Sharma is a US Sports author for EssentiallySports. She has a degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of Calcutta. Muskan has worked as a writer for 3+ years but has a knack for filmmaking, too.
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Edited by:

Debmallya Chakraborty