Teen Attacked By Shark Plans to Return to Water: ‘I Love Surfing’

A 16-year-old boy who was attacked by a shark off the coast of Florida does not plan to let the ordeal stop him from continuing his passion for surfing.

Teddy Wittemann was surfing off a Brevard County beach on Friday, Oct. 11, when he fell off his board and into the water, according to Florida Today.

Before he was able to get back on, Wittemann something did not feel quite right, NBC affiliate WESH reported. That’s when he spotted the shark.

“I looked over because I felt this pressure on my arm, and I saw it along the side of my body,” the teen explained. “I knew exactly what was going on.”

Wittemann was about 200 feet from shore amid waves kicked up by Hurricane Milton, which had just passed across Florida, according to Florida Today.

He believes the animal that bit him was a 6-foot bull shark, which only took one bite before swimming away, per WESH.

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“I was looking at my arm freaking out, but trying to do the right thing,” Wittemann told Florida Today. “Another thought going through my mind was I’m bleeding out, I’m using this bloody arm to paddle in what if another shark comes.”

Wittemann eventually returned to shore and called 911, according to WESH. Some beachgoers, including one who happened to know Witteman, helped bandage him up.

Dave and Toie Crespi leaped into action when they saw Wittemann come ashore, per Florida Today. Dave, who Witteman knows from surfing, tied his shirt around the teen’s wound.

They then helped Wittemann walk to State Road A1A, where a neighbor and friend spotted Wittemann and helped him call his parents, per the paper. He connected with them before going to a hospital.

Witteman received 30 stitches and has a large, white cast on his arm. He spent two nights at the hospital before he was released. Doctors say he will have to wait until his arm heals to surf again, according to Fox affiliate WOFL-TV.

But when the time comes, Wittemann plans to do exactly that. “It’s what I love to do, I love surfing,” the teen told WESH. “I do it every day. It’s my passion to become a pro surfer someday.”

Wittemann has already accomplished surfing success at a young age. According to Florida Today, the teen is part of the USA Junior Surfing U16 Boys Team and competes in the USA Surfing Prime series. 

He is also a two-time USA Surfing Prime East Coast champion, a two-time National Scholastic Surfing Association East Coast champion and a one-time Eastern Surf Association champion.