HILTON ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA: John Mistler, a 60-year-old man from Nashville, Tennessee, had a terrifying encounter with an eight-foot-long shark that tried to tear off his “whole right foot” while he was boogie boarding in South Carolina. He ended up with nearly 100 stitches and staples in his foot after the attack which happened on the last day of his vacation.
Mistler said he was in about five feet of water at Sea Pines Beach on July 21, surrounded by other swimmers when he felt the bite. Mistler said, "I felt the bite." Even though the report said that the water was just five feet and surrounded by other swimmers at Sea Pines Beach on July 21.
Who is John Mistler?
Mistler said, “I rolled over on the boogie board and I’m looking at this shark with my whole right foot in his mouth, all the way to the ankle.”
He said he made eye contact with the shark which looked like it was saying “sorry dude”. Mistler then jerked his foot free of the shark’s mouth, but not before it had ripped his flesh and severed an artery and tendons.
The victim said blood was “gushing out pretty good” from his wound and he was afraid he would bleed out on the beach. "The blood was gushing out pretty good. If I was by myself, I would have bled out on the beach," he told WTVF.
The 60-year-old was lucky that a nurse who was on the beach came to his aid and wrapped his foot in a towel. He said she told him “you’re going to be OK” and kept him calm. "If I was by myself I would have bled out on the beach," he said.
He went under surgery to save his foot
He was also helped by first responders who applied tourniquets to stop the bleeding. He said they were “very professional” and “very quick.” He was taken to the hospital where he underwent surgery to save his foot, which had been bitten by a shark with a “mouthful of razor blades.”
Mistler said he owed his life to the kindness of strangers and he had no hard feelings towards the shark. He joked that he would only go in the water "only up to my ankles!" next time. He also advised other beachgoers to carry a tourniquet in their first aid kit in case of a shark bite. He said he learned that “shark teeth are sharp” and “a mouthful of razor blades.”
There have been more reports of close encounters with sharks this year
Mistler is now back home and expected to make a full recovery. He said he was grateful for the support of his family and friends who have been sending him messages and gifts. Mistler further said he was looking forward to getting back to his normal activities soon. The town of Hilton Head Island closed the water between beach markers 33 and 42 for the rest of the day after the incident. Experts told the station there have been more reports of close encounters with sharks this year, but not more bites in the US. There have been 37 documented shark attacks worldwide so far this year.
