Lifeguard recounts terrifying shark bite

KAUAI Hawaii KITV Chance Swanson recounts the overwhelming fear the moment he encountered a shark while surfing at Hanalei Bay Next thing you know something s just chomping down on my leg with so much force I can t see it I couldn t see where it was coming from but I just knew as a shark Swanson stated Yeah it was terrifying And then somehow it let go I lifted my leg up and I just like noted Oh no and I declared my prayers to Jesus Christ I believe in God and He saved me and then He put the right people in place Kauai s ocean safety gang raced to pull their fellow lifeguard out of the water and stop the bleeding I was losing my vision I was really weak I tried to tie my own tourniquet I couldn t do it I was so weak Swanson explained Keep your eyes open Keep your eyes open We got you You re gonna make it ' The shark severed major blood vessels arteries and tendons requiring multiple surgeries to reconstruct his left leg but he is expected to have a full recovery And so without somebody intervening without people putting the tourniquet on and repairing it he would have died from this noted Dr Dylan Davey his trauma surgeon Chance and his family calling it a miracle are grateful for his story of survival through faith and aloha This is super surreal Never thought in my life I d get bit by a shark invariably stated the chances were pretty slim Swanson mentioned I m just so thankful