How big was the shark?
We spent the majority of the weekend with a shark researcher named Ralph Collier of the Shark Research Committee. He came by the house with Jeff Curr, the independent film producer, and his wife, Katrina Gennero. They filmed Ralph interviewing me. It's going to run in August during Shark Week on the Discovery Channel. Ralph was looking at my scars and also photographs that were taken in the emergency room- probably within 2 hours of the attack. He said, based on location and size of the wounds, he estimated that the shark was probably around 15 or 16 feet, which is consistent with what a few other people had reported.

Did Ralph have any comments regarding the severity of the attack?
He distinguishes between a predatory attack and an investigatory bite. He said, while he has not firmed up all of his preliminary conclusions, he feels pretty confidently that this was an investigatory bite.

Wow! It probably would have just ripped one of your legs off…
Either that or it would have ripped part of my body off. I don't think I would be here right now. He feels that the shark was swimming around and there was something about me that caught its attention. He said that a white shark attack on a surfer, swimmer, diver or kayaker might be the result of something unique to that particular person, especially if they are in a group of potential victims. He's guessing, of course, because he can't say for sure. Perhaps it happened because I was the only body boarder out of the 10 or 12 people that were out there.

He also thought it was really interesting- I didn't think much of this- but this could also have been a reason. White sharks can distinguish color. On that particular day I was wearing two different color fins. He couldn't really say if that was the reason, but it was something that should be considered.

The day before I didn't have my fin straps with me, and I ended up losing a Viper fin while duck diving. So the following day, I grabbed my remaining Viper and a Redley fin, that's black and red. Whether or not it made a difference, though, he can't be certain.

Overall, his thoughts were: the shark must have been attracted to me for a specific reason. There was something about me that must have raised its curiosity. It approached me from underneath and grabbed me gently- checking me out- and let go.

Have you ever seen a seal grab a stripped bass or salmon and rip it apart? That's what I imagine would happen to a person in the mouth of a great white during a predatory attack.

Actually I think the creator of Jaws subsequently started an organization that's trying to reverse that negative and false stereotype of great whites. Apparently he found out after creating the movie that sharks are nothing like the killer shark that's portrayed in Jaws and other movies.
I remember feeling this incredibly powerful surge underneath the water. But it wasn't a very fast or speeding movement. It was slow and deliberate but it was extremely powerful. Then immediately I felt pain in my legs, but it wasn't excruciating pain. The white shark teeth Ralph showed me were from a 17-foot shark, and although they were more than 25 years old they were extremely sharp. They're serrated on the sides so they can literally cut like a sharpened steak knife. So I can see where the shark would not have to apply much jaw pressure to get those teeth to sink down to the bone. I have no doubt that if that shark had wanted to, it could have simply snapped me in half and just gone right through my bones.

You mentioned previously that several of the lacerations did, in fact, go down to the bone. Did the teeth go down to the bone on most of the lacerations, or just some of them?
From what I understand, there were basically four areas of the laceration and I believe 3 of the teeth actually went down to the bone. X-rays showed teeth imprints on the bone. I don't think that was the case with the laceration on my right foot; although, that one was obviously deep enough to sever a tendon. On two of the lacerations, the doctor said the teeth went as deep as 4 to 5 inches.

How has this event changed your outlook on surfing?
Outside of the death of my father 12 years ago- this has got to be the biggest experience in my life. In terms of my outlook on surfing, I went to the scene of the crime, so to speak, this past Saturday. What hit me the most was how much I miss going to the ocean- just the sight of the waves, the sound of the breaking surf, the smell of the ocean. I really miss it a lot. I'm thinking when I can drive, I'm just going to drive out when my friends are going out and just hang out on the cliff and watch. I really do miss it. My goal is to get back in the water by spring/early summer at the latest. I think that's a realistic goal given my injury. I have a feeling that I'm going to be anxious the first few times I paddle out. I have a suspicion that if there's a quick movement that I see out of the corner of my eye, I’m probably going to be startled the first few times. But I’m really looking forward to getting back into the water. I really do miss it.

Do you think this even has changed your outlook on life, in general?
I think it's too soon to tell. I'd like to be able to say, "Yes, it has." I believe that it has certainly caused me to think about my outlook in a few ways.

1) My wife has been telling me for years not to make such a big deal about little stuff. She would always say, "Oh, what are you sweatin' the small stuff for?" Since this has happened that comment makes a whole lot more sense to me. There are certainly more important things going on in my life than little stuff that tends to irritate me. So that statement has been brought home to me in the greater detail.

2) I've really come to appreciate how many great people I have in my life that I really took for granted before. This whole event has brought out an appreciation for what great family and friends I have, great co-workers I have, people who really do think a lot of me and my family. I didn't really appreciate that before. To me that was a major eye-opening experience.

3) And finally, I realize that I've taken for granted some very simple things like the ability to walk. This past Monday or Tuesday, I was sitting on my patio, just sitting in the sun, on a stool for about an hour. It felt wonderful just to be outside with the blue sky, the sun shining on my face. At that point, there was nothing more important, nothing that could feel better than that. I realized that I had taken for granted just being able to go outside. So I really hope that these types of experiences and perspectives stay with me for the long run and that when I'm back to normal, I don't forget these lessons that I'm learning right now.

So I'd like to say, "Yeah, it's been a life-changing event," but I think it's too soon to tell. I think I have the opportunity to learn a lot from this experience, but time will tell.

You don't seem like a touchy-feely kind of person. You're very analytical, matter-of-fact.
Then I guess it's no accident I'm a lawyer, huh? (laughs)

Any advice for other surfers?
Whenever we know someone personally- be it a friend, acquaintance, family member - who has experienced a major life event like this or a tragedy- for most people it brings it closer to home. But, statistically if we look at the likelihood of a person using the ocean getting attacked by a great white shark, the chances are so small, it really is not worth worrying. So that's about the only advice that I would have at this point is- Don't worry about it.

I've heard similar statistics, but I'm wondering if that includes all people. I wonder how much that statistic would change when only counting surfers.
I've had a number of former friends and acquaintances contacting me from San Diego and LA saying how spooked they have been going out in the water. Actually, I've had some people up here tell me the same thing- they've been out in the water, and it's kind of spooky and weird. I feel badly that they have those negative impressions or those fleeting moments of fear. I feel badly that I created that for them. But I saw something, today as a matter of fact, that indicated that a person is 30 times more likely to be struck by lightning than they were to be bitten by a shark.

The other thing is, I feel I'm really not that special. If I can survive it, I think most people can survive it. In that sense I almost feel that perhaps I can be a good example of a success story of how someone can react to an adverse situation. A lot of people at work have said, "Hey, why don't you just take a few months off." Why? I want to work. It's good for me. I'm able to do it, so I'm going to go to work.

It probably is good for you. If you're doing what you like doing and you're happy, you're body will probably respond better and heal faster because you're happy.
Right. What I got from that, though, is a lot of people feel you shouldn't work for a few months, but I feel emotionally fine. Perhaps I can be an example of how someone can survive something like this.

Earlier you mentioned how you think your martial arts training might have helped you in this situation. So do you think someone without this type of training would not be as well prepared for such a situation?
Let's put it this way, I can only speak for myself. I have had that type of training. I've had the physical and the mental discipline. I think it made it easier for me to get out of the water, easier to focus on what I had to do. Perhaps I would have struggled more without it, but I don't know. I think there are people out there who have no martial arts training but who are very strong individuals with a lot of determination and strong will power. I think they might have handled it the same or maybe even a little better than I did it. I think it really depends upon the personal character of the individual.

Special thanks to Mike Casey for sharing his story with us, and to Maureen Casey who supplied the photos and helped with editing this interview.

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