A Georgia man’s heroic instincts kicked in at the worst possible moment when a shark sank its teeth into his foot while he was trying to get his pregnant fiancée to safety in the shallows of a Florida beach.
Jacorey High, in his early 20s and from Henry County, was wading in waist-deep water near the Dunlawton Beach Approach in Daytona Beach Shores last Saturday afternoon when the attack happened.
It was just hours before this year’s Shark Week officially began on the Discovery Channel.
According to Volusia County Beach Safety officials, the shark—estimated to be about four feet long—latched onto High’s left foot and ankle.
Beach Safety medics treated him on the sand before rushing him to a nearby hospital. Fortunately, his injuries were described as non-life-threatening.
High told local FOX affiliate that his first thought wasn’t his own pain. It was getting his fiancée out of the water.
“I realized right away it was a shark because of the way it bit down on my foot, but I was more worried about getting my fiancée out of the water,” he said.
The shark didn’t back off easily. High said it kept coming after him, even trying to go for his arm and his other leg as he scrambled to shore.
He described the shark as gray on top and roughly the height from his waist to his feet.
Once he made it onto dry sand, the adrenaline faded. High didn’t fully feel the damage until doctors at the hospital started treating him with medication.
Surgeons operated on his foot, and he expects recovery to take about three months. He’s just hoping nothing vital was damaged so he can get back to work.
Marine experts remind beachgoers that shark bites are extremely rare, even in busy summer months. They recommend staying out of murky water, avoiding areas with large schools of fish, and steering clear of active fishing spots.
High is now recovering at home, and according to reports, he’s grateful he was the only one hurt that day.
What would you have done if you saw a shark heading straight for your family?
