A Shark Bit My Leg Off - So I Took Up Surfing | BRAND NEW ME

Jul 17 2021

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A young South African actor took up surfing - after having his right leg bitten off by a great white shark. Caleb Swanepoel, 26, of Cape Town, South Africa, was a young acting student with a love of the outdoors when, at the age of 20, his life changed forever. Bodysurfing in the sea during a family holiday, he was attacked by a great white shark, which pulled him underwater and severed his right leg above the knee. He was able to swim to shore with the help of his brother Sandy before being airlifted to hospital. Amazingly Caleb was on crutches within three days and spent a mere 10 days in hospital - going back into the ocean to conquer his fears only three weeks after the attack. Caleb started surfing as part of his physical therapy and was invited to the first ever South African Adaptive Surfing Championships - where he ended up winning his category, earning a spot to represent South Africa at the World Adaptive Surfing Games. And despite the trauma of Caleb’s shark attack, the para athlete is at pains to stress how happy he is to have survived - and to be able to continue to compete. He said: “Something I take away from my shark attack is to value what you’ve been given. I think a lot of the time we take for granted our bodies, I want to show people that your disability doesn’t define you - it’s just part of you.”