Surfer bitten by shark in New Smyrna calls recovery a 'miracle,' vows return to water

Surfer recovering after shark bite at New Smyrna Beach

A Winter Park man is recovering after being bitten by a shark while surfing at New Smyrna Beach, calling it a miracle that he still has full use of his hand.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. - A Winter Park man is recovering after being bitten by a shark while surfing at New Smyrna Beach, calling it a miracle that he still has full use of his hand.

What we know:

Matthew Bender, a surfer from Winter Park, was bitten by a shark Sunday afternoon while surfing in New Smyrna Beach. The bite left his arm severely injured from below the thumb to near the elbow. Thanks to the quick thinking of nearby surfers who used a surfboard leash as a tourniquet, and the fast response from lifeguards, Bender was transported to a hospital and underwent emergency surgery to repair muscles, tendons, and nerves.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not confirmed the type or size of the shark involved, nor whether there were other shark sightings in the area that day. Officials have also not commented on whether any new safety protocols will be implemented in response to the attack.

The backstory:

New Smyrna Beach is often referred to as the unofficial "shark bite capital of the world" due to its frequent encounters between surfers and sharks. However, most bites are nonfatal and often occur in shallow water. Bender’s injury, though serious, fits the pattern of past incidents where victims survive but require surgery.

What they're saying:

Matthew Bender is recovering after the shark bit him in the arm while surfing in New Smyrna Beach on Sunday.

"I felt it clamp down like a bear trap out of nowhere," said Bender. "By the time I looked down, it was already gone. I never saw the shark, but it bit really forcefully. It felt like electricity and like extreme pressure. And then I think it shook its head. I definitely felt that as it was letting go. It was also fast." 

When he got out of the water, he said other surfers jumped into action and used a surfboard leash to make a tourniquet.

"I was squeezing the whole mangled area myself with my left hand, and they were pulling the tourniquet there just above my elbow," he said.

Lifeguards reacted quickly, gave him care, and got him into an ambulance. He had to have emergency surgery, and doctors had to reconnect muscles, tendons, and nerves. Bender believes it's a miracle that he has the full use of his fingers and hand. He should be fully recovered in a few months, and with a positive spirit, the surfer is ready to get back out on the water. Riding waves is his passion, and he has no plans of giving up.

"I think the Lord kept it from being serious. I mean, he works in mysterious ways. For some reason, I got to take a little break, but I'll be back out there," he explained. "I'm a New Smyrna surfer at heart, and it's not going to end now just because of this."

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