WA surfer recalls shark attack that took his leg

A West Australian firefighter who survived a shark attack that severed his leg has shared the harrowing details of the incident, which occurred at Glenfield Beach near Geraldton on September 14.

Mel Ismail, who was surfing at the time of the attack, recalled sitting out the back of the surf break and spotting a pod of about 20 dolphins before being hit by something big.

“I thought I got hit by a dolphin, initially,” he said.

“And suddenly, bang — something grabbed me and dragged me down into the water. And I knew it was a shark.”

As he was hauled underwater by the predator, Mr Ismail eventually came face to face with it.

“I got to a point where I saw its eye … a big black eye,” Mr Ismail said.

“But it’s winking back at me — I was trying to get my fingers in its eye and just pushing its eye as I was being dragged.”

“I personally reckon it gave me the wink, and then shut my leg off, and I knew it had taken my leg.”

With his leg severed below the knee, Mr Ismail managed to make it back to the surface, where he experienced a sensation of numbness.

“It was just a numbness, a sensation like, ‘Hey, something’s missing,’” he said.

“I saw my board floating around, a heap of blood. I thought, ‘He’s coming back for more; I need to get out of here.’”

Mr Ismail caught a wave that took him about 20 metres closer to shore, where he was eventually rescued by fellow surfer Shannan Dunn.

“He had eyes like saucers,” Mr Ismail said of Mr Dunn.

“The first thing he said to me is, ‘Where’s the shark?’

“I said ‘I don’t know, I’ve got a bit going on here.’

” Then he chucked me on his board.”

After being dragged up the beach, Mr Ismail received assistance from a couple, Chrissy and Rick, who helped until paramedics arrived.

His partner, Kylie Fleay, was working at Geraldton Hospital when she heard about the attack and rushed to his side.

“I basically ran down to the ED,” she said.

“We were allowed to go in and see Mel. He was grey — grey and sandy.”

Ms Fleay was stunned when surgeons mentioned the loss of his leg, but Mr Ismail remained in high spirits.

“First thing he says, he goes, ‘I’m going to have to be a bodyboarder now,’” Ms Fleay said.

“He’s amazing. I’m in awe of him.”

The couple expressed gratitude for the support they have received from the Geraldton community.

“Every time I hear the story, it just amazes me more what he went through and survived,” Ms Fleay said.

“That sucker wasn’t going to take him.”