Fishing content creator Henry Gibbs has shared his survival story after a shark attack in Fiji on July 18, during which a gray reef shark nearly bit off his leg. Gibbs, who has over 113,000 followers, expressed gratitude for still having full use of his foot and leg, despite requiring four surgeries and a skin graft.
The incident occurred during Gibbs' first dive in the South Pacific nation. Footage shows a gray reef shark rapidly approaching him before biting his right leg. Divers Colby and Dan, who were with Gibbs, assisted him out of the water and transported him to a hospital.
Following the attack, Gibbs stated he held "no hard feelings" toward the shark. He speculated that his presence in the shark's environment, potentially hunting its food, along with noise from the boat and spearguns, may have agitated the animal. "I'll never know exactly what caused the change, but eventually it started making tight semicircles beneath us, became increasingly agitated and even sprinted at the boat," he wrote on social media.
Gibbs acknowledged that he underestimated the threat posed by the shark, which he noted is typically smaller than a great white. "I never thought a shark of that size posed much of a threat, and that was a mistake," he reflected. He offered several takeaways from his experience, advising divers to end a dive if a shark's behavior changes, to consider wearing plain black wetsuits in tropical waters, and to not disregard signs of agitation or aggression from a shark. He also warned against judging risk solely by a shark's size.
He is expected to make a full recovery and stated the incident has given him "an even greater appreciation for life."