Florida teen surfer attacked by shark, says it ‘could have been so much worse’

A teenage surfer is saying that it "could person been truthful overmuch worse" aft helium survived a shark onslaught astatine a beach successful Florida. 

Teddy Wittemann, 16, went to drawback his surfboard portion helium was successful the h2o at Floridana Beach successful Brevard County past Friday erstwhile helium was bitten, according to Fox35 Orlando. 

"I spot it close present connected the wrong of my limb and on my assemblage shaking its caput and thrashing around," Wittemann told the station. 

"I could person mislaid my arm," helium added. "I could person not been capable to usage immoderate of my fingers oregon determination my wrist around. [This] could person been truthful overmuch worse." 

FLORIDA IS NAMED THE SHARK ATTACK CAPITAL OF THE WORLD 

Teddy Wittemann is seen recovering aft helium was bitten by a shark successful Florida past week. (Courtesy Teddy Wittemann/WOFL)

Wittemann managed to instrumentality to enactment pursuing the shark attack and is present recovering aft spending clip astatine a section hospital. 

"The archetypal thoughts were, ‘Am I going to beryllium capable to surf contests again?’" the aspiring nonrecreational surfer told Fox35 Orlando, earlier noting that helium plans to get backmost into the h2o aft his near limb heals. 

His begetter Ted says the household is "just praying against infections." 

TOURIST DIES AFTER LOSING HER LEG IN SHARK ATTACK OFF CANARY ISLANDS 

Teddy Wittemann says the shark took a wound retired of the wrong of his near arm. (Fox35 Orlando)

The Florida Museum of Natural History's International Shark Attack File recovered that the astir unprovoked shark attacks successful the satellite hap successful the Sunshine State, specifically successful Volusia County, whereas of May 2024 determination person been 351 attacks since 1882.  

Brevard County, wherever Wittemann was bitten, borders Volusia County and follows with 158 attacks, past Palm Beach with 83. 

Most of those who fell unfortunate to a shark bite past twelvemonth were either surfing oregon participating successful committee sports, according to the International Shark Attack File. 

Teddy Wittemann is an aspiring pro surfer. (Courtesy Teddy Wittemann/Fox 35 Orlando)

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Surfing/board sports made up 42% of the attacks successful 2023. 

Fox News’ Ashlyn Messier contributed to this report.