Dive instructor relives horror moment when he was attacked by a bull shark that ripped a piece out of his arm
A dive instructor has discussed the horrifying moment when he was attacked by a 6-foot bull shark that ripped a huge chunk out of his arm while he was spearfishing.
Zack Winegardner, 26, was spearfishing 70 feet (22 m) off the coast of Marathon, Florida, on Sept. 6 when a bull shark “appeared out of nowhere” behind him and sank its teeth into his right arm and ripped a piece out of it.
After realizing he had been bitten, Winegardner quickly ascended to the surface and returned to shore before being airlifted to Jackson South Medical Center in Miami.
Zack said the freak attack from the huge apex predator left a gaping hole in his arm, tore the tendons in his wrist and imprinted teeth marks on the inside of his forearm.
He spent ten days in the hospital where he underwent an IV bacterial cleanse, about 90 staples and several stitches in his arm.
Zack Winegardner, 26, was spearfishing 22 feet off the coast of Marathon, Florida, on Sept. 6 when the attack occurred. Pictured right: Zack in the hospital with his wife Haley
The six-year-old instructor was unable to work while he recovered, but six months after the ordeal, he’s finally back in the water
He also had a skin graft on his thigh to patch up the “big chunk” that was missing from it.
This was followed by four months of physical therapy to help him regain use of his hand.
Despite intensive therapy, Zack is still unable to fully bend his wrist or open his hand.
Zack, who lives in Marathon, said he had no health insurance at the time of the accident because he switched from his parents’ policy to his wife’s.
His grandmother founded one GoFundMe page to help him pay off the staggering $250,000 bill. So far this has raised over $8,000.
The six-year-old instructor was unable to work while he recovered, but six months after the ordeal, he’s finally back in the water and teaching again.
The animal lover thinks the shark must have mistaken him for food.
He claims that people who feed sharks in the harbor are responsible for making them “more comfortable” around people.
Zack said the freak shark attack left him with a gaping hole in his arm, tore the tendons in his wrist and left teeth marks on the inside of his forearm.
Zack said, “I went spearfishing at Marathon and shot a fish. I was heading back to the boat and a bull shark came out from behind me and just clung to my arm.
“The shark, about six feet, most likely mistook me for food. It probably went for my stringer and got my arm instead. It bit me, realized it didn’t want me, and then darted away.
“It was like a sharp, quick pain and then pretty much everything went numb.”
He added: “After it came off I swam over to my friends and pointed out that I had been bitten and we climbed to the surface from about 22m, got on a boat and went to a dock.
“I tore my tendons in my wrist and it took a big chunk closer to my elbow and left a lot of teeth marks, I think.
“It was pretty crazy. I was just thinking about going back ashore and then they got me enough medicine at the hospital. I don’t think I really thought about it too much.
‘I wasn’t afraid of dying, but I thought I was going to lose the arm. I am very grateful that I still have it.’
Zack was then rushed to a helicopter where he was flown 90 miles away to the hospital.
Zack said, “I don’t have permanent nerve damage, but I have bruises that stop some of my fingers from working, but I’ve been doing physical therapy for four months to get my hand functioning.
“Certain movements don’t work anymore, like my wrist not bending all the way like it used to and I have two fingers that won’t go up. I can make a fist, but can’t open my hand all the way.
“My right little finger and ring finger don’t work and then my thumb is just numb all the time, but they said that will come back once the nerve contusion goes away.”
Winegardner was a full-time scuba diving instructor in the Florida Keys prior to the incident.
Despite suffering immense pain during the horrific ordeal, he said it didn’t make him afraid of the ocean.
He said, “I’m a little creepy when I can’t see, but it won’t stop me.”
Zack was airlifted to Jackson South Medical Center in Miami. He spent ten days in the hospital where he underwent an IV bacterial cleanse, about 90 staples and several stitches in his arm
In 2022, there were 57 unprovoked shark bites worldwide, most of which occurred in the United States and Australia, according to the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File, which released its annual data in February.
In line with long-term trends, the United States recorded the most unprovoked shark bites in 2022, with 41 confirmed cases, up from 47 the year before.
In 2022, 16 unprovoked shark attacks occurred in Florida, accounting for 28 percent of the global total. The state recorded two amputations, but no fatalities.
Five of the attacks worldwide were fatal, compared with nine deaths in 2021 and 10 deaths last year, the university researchers found.
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