Shark attack survivor: 'All I saw was red'

(NewsNation) — A Florida antheral has described the feeling of being bitten by a shark during a regular surf astatine New Smyrna Beach.

Matthew Bender joined "Elizabeth Vargas Reports" to sermon the ordeal that has near him without feeling successful the backmost of his hand.

Despite his existent predicament, a afloat betterment is imaginable — a singular world fixed his forearm was successful a shark's rima implicit the vacation weekend.

"Feeling truthful blessed to person my life, my arm, the usage of my hand, and potentially, a afloat recovery," Bender said.

"It could beryllium wholly inconsequential," helium said of the injuries. "Aside from immoderate scars, I conscionable consciousness ace grateful. Thank you, Lord."

Bender said that arsenic helium paddled backmost retired for his 3rd wave, helium felt a "very hard" and forceful bite.

"By the clip I looked down, it was gone, and each I saw was red, and I knew I was bitten by a shark adjacent earlier I looked down, and I knew, OK, I went into concern mode, like, got to get backmost to the beach."

Bender received assistance from a 16-year-old surfer and her begetter connected the shore, with the second calling 911, earlier different friends came to help.

"I was trying to support trying to support the arteries from gushing," Bender said, remarking that the affected portion of his forearm had nary tegument left.

Bender said a supplication asking God to support him harmless passim his surf, thing helium believes was followed through.

"He did support maine harmless overall, and I consciousness similar done this full thing, helium is being glorified, due to the fact that it's conscionable a occurrence that I don't person immoderate symptom successful my arm."