A Florida fisherman is recovering after a harrowing encounter with a seven-foot shark left him with severe injuries and nearly bled him to death. David Daniel, 43, of Silver Springs, was fishing near a sandbar on Boca Grande Key Beach in Key West on Aug. 23 when the shark attacked.
Daniel described the shark, identified as a nurse shark, as cruising parallel to the beach before it turned and headed directly for him. The shark bit the top of his foot before releasing its grip, apparently realizing he was not its intended prey.
"I looked down in the water, and there was so much blood in the water. I said, 'There's no way you're getting off this beach,'" Daniel recounted from his hospital bed.
His life was saved by two nurses who were nearby on a boat. They immediately came to his aid, transporting him to shore and applying pressure to stem the significant blood loss while awaiting the U.S. Coast Guard. Daniel credited the nurses with his survival, stating, "If it weren’t for them, I would 100% be dead on the beach."
One of the nurses, Chris Green, confirmed their actions, telling WSVN, "We did our job as nurses to help control the bleeding and get the limb elevated, and we hollered for somebody to call the Coast Guard."
Daniel was airlifted to a Miami hospital and was discharged on Wednesday. He is currently recuperating, with his foot in a boot and requiring extensive physical therapy. His recovery is expected to take months. As Daniel does not have medical insurance, friends have initiated a GoFundMe to help cover his medical expenses, aiming to raise $16,000.