A surfer named Kai McKenzie has confirmed that his severed leg, which washed ashore after a shark attack in Australia, could not be reattached. The incident occurred while McKenzie, 23, was surfing near Port Macquarie in New South Wales last Tuesday.
He described the shark that attacked him as “the biggest shark I’ve ever seen.”
McKenzie managed to surf to shore, where a bystander helped him by making a makeshift tourniquet to stop the bleeding. His leg later washed up and was preserved on ice by locals before being taken to the hospital.
Despite hopes for reattachment surgery, McKenzie shared an update on social media nearly a week after the attack, showing himself in the hospital with the caption, “Spot something missing? Hahah.”
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In an earlier Instagram post, McKenzie detailed the “crazy shark attack” and expressed gratitude for the overwhelming public support, which he said “meant the absolute world.”
He thanked everyone for the donations to a GoFundMe page set up to help with his medical expenses, which has raised over A$165,000 ($108,000; £84,000). McKenzie remains optimistic, stating, “I’ll be back in that water in no time!”
A spokesperson for the local health district, where McKenzie is being treated, declined to comment on whether reattachment surgery was attempted, citing patient privacy.
Authorities reported that McKenzie, a sponsored surfer, was bitten by a 3-meter great white shark. His survival is credited to an off-duty police officer who used a dog leash to create a tourniquet.
McKenzie was initially taken to a local hospital and then flown to a major trauma center in Newcastle, about 200 km (124 miles) away, along with his severed leg. He had only recently returned to surfing after recovering from a significant neck injury.
In a statement, McKenzie’s family expressed their gratitude to all the “medical staff… bystanders and first responders” who helped save his life. While Australia, along with the US, experiences more shark attacks than any other country, fatal incidents remain relatively rare.
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