Jai Villamil jumped off his surfboard into waist-deep water in New Smyrna Beach, Florida this week, something he’d probably done a thousand times. But this time he felt a sudden strike to his right calf. A shark had latched itself on to him and was ripping at his muscle. “It got me twice in two areas of my leg,” he said. “I kicked it in the gills with my left leg.” The young surfer has had several surgeries to repair the area of his leg since, which he describes in the video above.
It was the second attack this week in New Smyrna Beach as a 71-year-old bodyboarder was also attacked in the same area. The man was apparently treated on the beach for minor injuries to his foot while Jai had to be taken to a nearby hospital and treated for trauma. He doesn’t sound like he’s going to let it impact his surfing. Keep chargin’ kid!
