Florida teen almost loses his arm when he's mauled by shark while surfing at Orlando beach

A teen astir mislaid his limb erstwhile helium was abruptly mauled by a shark arsenic helium reached for his surfboard.

Teddy Wittemann, 16, was surfing astatine Melbourne Beach, adjacent Orlando, erstwhile helium fell disconnected his committee successful a swell and tried to drawback it.

'I was surfing with my buddy Baylor and aft a question I was reaching to drawback my committee and spell backmost out,' helium said.

'The shark spot astir the wrong of my elbow and forearm and held connected portion thrashing astir for a second.'

Teddy said helium saw the predator, which helium thinks was astatine slightest five-ft agelong and apt a tiger shark, on the broadside of his assemblage earlier it chomped connected his arm.

He said it astir apt thought his limb was a food and fto spell erstwhile it didn't sensation however it expected aft taking retired a chunk of his near arm.

Teddy was inactive 200ft from definite and had to aquatics with his mangled limb backmost to shore, yelling for assistance and knowing his humor could pull much sharks.

'Thankfully Dave Crespi was connected the formation with his woman [Toie] portion I waved them down for help,' helium said.

'Super thankful to each the archetypal responders that were capable to beryllium determination for maine during each this.'

Crespi tied his garment supra the coiled arsenic a tourniquet portion Toie called 911 and different neighbour who drove by fto him usage their telephone to telephone his parents. 

Teddy was treated astatine the country by paramedics, past taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center.

Luckily, determination was nary large harm and helium escaped with 30 stitches and was sent location aft 2 days to retrieve with a formed connected his limb for the adjacent month.

'I'm retired of the infirmary with nary tendon oregon ligament damage. Feeling truthful blessed that it wasn’t worse,' helium said.

Teddy, who is portion of the USA Junior Surfing U16 Boys Team, planned to instrumentality to surfing arsenic soon arsenic the doctor's orders six-week remainder was over.

He competes successful the USA Surfing Prime bid and hoped to suffice for the International Surfing Association World Junior Games 1 day.