Shark Mauls Surfer 'Like a Bear Trap' in Florida (Video)
Good news is: Bender, who is 40 years old, is on the road to recovery. Speaking from his hospital bed, Bender told the tale of what happened. Hear all about it below.
'Just like a lightning strike, the shark came out of nowhere,' Bender recounted. 'I just felt it chomp down on my arm. It felt like a bear trap. Unfortunately, it shredded my arm. It immediately let go, and was gone in a flash.'
It was believed that the shark responsible was a bull shark. Bender acted quickly, getting to shore and using his leash as a tourniquet to quell the bleeding, then flagging down others to come help. From there, it was to the hospital.And it's not the first time that Bender's encountered sharks while surfing NSB.
'I've sen great whites out there,' he said. 'Believe it or not, I've seen one eat a stingray in front of me. You don't really think about them in Florida, but we have every species out there apparently. I've seen great hammerheads that are 15 feet long.'
Florida (and Volusia County where New Smyrna Beach is) consistently rank high when it comes to annual shark attacks. According to the International Shark Attack File's report from last year:
'With warm waters and ample shoreline, Florida had a total of 14 bites, more than any other state. Of these, eight occurred in Volusia County, which bears the unofficial title of shark bite capital of the world. Though unconfirmed, many of these bites were likely from blacktip sharks, whose breeding grounds stretch along the northeast Florida coastline. Many of the sharks in this area are juveniles and haven't yet fully developed the ability to distinguish between humans and their natural prey, which includes fish, stingrays and other sharks.'
As for Bender, he's undergone surgery and as soon as he can, he's going back out surfing.Shark Mauls Surfer 'Like a Bear Trap' in Florida (Video) first appeared on Surfer on Jul 8, 2025
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
a day ago
- Fox News
Missing teen surfer found alive on remote island miles from shore: 'Didn't give up hope'
A surfer who went missing after paddling out in the ocean Wednesday afternoon was located the next day on a remote island roughly 8 miles from where his bicycle and clothes were found at a beach access point in New South Wales, Australia. The New South Wales Police Force said in a news release Thursday morning the 19-year-old man, later identified as surfer Darcy Deefholts, had been located after being swept away and going missing the day before. Police said Deefholts left his home in Wooli on a bicycle at about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday toward Wooli Beach. After failing to return home, concerned family members contacted police, and a search on land and sea commenced around Wooli Beach. The next morning, Deefholts was located safely on a small island called North Solitary, about 8 miles southeast of Wooli Beach. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported Darcy's father, Terry Deefholts, could not believe the news Darcy had been found at about 9 a.m. Thursday. "It's kind of surreal. I was at the point of thinking the absolute worst," Terry Deefholts told the station. "I didn't give up hope, but, jeez, I was close." Earlier in the day, the teenager was seen riding his bike around town and fishing at the Wooli breakwall. Family members became concerned Wednesday night after Darcy's clothes and bicycle were located at a beach access point in Wooli, just east of Grafton. Melissa Smith, a family member, told the station Darcy likely went out too far on his surfboard and could not get back to shore. "He's a survivor, a strong boy. He would have known that was a safe place, I guess," she said. ABC reported that family members believed Darcy had a Malibu surfboard with him, though his smartwatch and cellphone were left at home in Wooli. Search efforts continued through about 1 a.m. Thursday and commenced at first light. Thursday morning's efforts included six private vessels and a Marine Rescue team, though what was puzzling to some was how calm the sea conditions were and the small amount of wind and swell. "There is a fair bit of current running north to south further out, so I suspect he has ended up in [a] current and drifted south," Marine Rescue skipper Matthew McLennan told ABC. Later that morning, one of the search crews found Darcy and reported that he was cold and suffering from exposure, though he was not injured. Darcy was transported to a nearby hospital after returning to shore. A spokesperson from the local health district in Northern New South Wales said in a statement obtained by the station that Darcy was in stable condition and "in good spirits and being supported by family."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Shark Mauls Surfer 'Like a Bear Trap' in Florida (Video)
Over the holiday weekend, avid surfer Matt Bender was in the water at New Smyrna Beach in Florida when, out of nowhere, a shark latched onto his arm and aggressively attacked him. It's no huge surprise, since NSB is commonly known as the 'shark attack capital of the world,' but still, this wasn't just your average nip. Bender's arm got totally mangled. Good news is: Bender, who is 40 years old, is on the road to recovery. Speaking from his hospital bed, Bender told the tale of what happened. Hear all about it below. 'Just like a lightning strike, the shark came out of nowhere,' Bender recounted. 'I just felt it chomp down on my arm. It felt like a bear trap. Unfortunately, it shredded my arm. It immediately let go, and was gone in a flash.' It was believed that the shark responsible was a bull shark. Bender acted quickly, getting to shore and using his leash as a tourniquet to quell the bleeding, then flagging down others to come help. From there, it was to the it's not the first time that Bender's encountered sharks while surfing NSB. 'I've sen great whites out there,' he said. 'Believe it or not, I've seen one eat a stingray in front of me. You don't really think about them in Florida, but we have every species out there apparently. I've seen great hammerheads that are 15 feet long.' Florida (and Volusia County where New Smyrna Beach is) consistently rank high when it comes to annual shark attacks. According to the International Shark Attack File's report from last year: 'With warm waters and ample shoreline, Florida had a total of 14 bites, more than any other state. Of these, eight occurred in Volusia County, which bears the unofficial title of shark bite capital of the world. Though unconfirmed, many of these bites were likely from blacktip sharks, whose breeding grounds stretch along the northeast Florida coastline. Many of the sharks in this area are juveniles and haven't yet fully developed the ability to distinguish between humans and their natural prey, which includes fish, stingrays and other sharks.' As for Bender, he's undergone surgery and as soon as he can, he's going back out Mauls Surfer 'Like a Bear Trap' in Florida (Video) first appeared on Surfer on Jul 8, 2025
New York Post
4 days ago
- New York Post
Florida surfer attacked in ‘Shark Bite Capital of the World'
A surfer was attacked by a shark on Sunday at a Florida beach aptly nicknamed the 'Shark Bite Capital of the World.' Matt Bender, a 40-year-old from Winter Park, was bitten on his right forearm while surfing on New Smyrna Beach around 3 p.m., Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue said. He was rushed to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and is on the mend, his friends said. Advertisement 3 Matt Bender, 40, was bitten on the forearm by a shark at New Smyrna Beach — which was named the 'Shark Bite Capital of the World' last year. WFTV9 'His hand was NOT bitten off — he's doing good considering, but he was injured and needs our support and prayers right now,' the friends wrote on Facebook. It's unclear what kind of shark attacked Bender, but spinner sharks, black tip sharks and deadly bull sharks have been spotted frequenting the popular coastal hotspot. Advertisement 3 New Smyrna Beach is known as the 'Shark Bite Capital of the World.' NSBInlet/Instagram The beach, an inlet northeast of Orlando, is often crawling with sharks, but surfers are usually unperturbed and seek out the spot for its consistent waves. In 2024, New Smyrna Beach was named the shark attack capital of the world by the International Shark Attack File, which logged a staggering 361 unprovoked assaults since 1837. Between 2010 and 2024, the beach also reported 12 surf fatalities. Advertisement In June, researchers at Tideschart also concluded that the Florida beach is the most dangerous in the country, not just because of the sharp-toothed predators, but because it sits in the center of a hurricane alley. 3 There have been 12 surf fatalities at New Smyrna Beach since 2010. NSBInlet/Instagram Bender's gnarly attack marks the second shark-related encounter at New Smyrna Beach in the past month as summer kicks into full gear. Darren Kaye, a surfer who frequents the beach, knew he had to be attentive and check the waters while he was out catching waves. He never anticipated he'd have to check the sky above him until a spinner shark headbutted him. Advertisement 'I was just really happy its mouth wasn't open,' he said, noting that he wasn't going to let the incident deter him from the sea. In late June, a newlywed couple at the beach had their honeymoon cut short after the man was killed after being struck by a bolt of lightning in broad daylight. The same strike also indirectly hit two bystanders who were treated at the scene.
