Surfer recounts terrifying memories and desperate struggle during shark attack: 'It was like being hit by a freight train'
Pearson's account of his attack and the aftermath is both terrifying and heartwarming. It took him 10 minutes to get out of the water along the New South Wales Mid North Coast, during which time he lost 40% of his blood. As he, friends, and fellow surfers endured a long wait for emergency medical services, Pearson encouraged everyone else that they had done all they could to save him. He was also impressed with their actions.
"I said to the guys: 'If I don't make it, you've tried your best and don't worry about it. … It's not a bad night to die anyway,'" Pearson told Sarah Kanowski in a January interview on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Conversations, recalling the sunset that evening.He had caught a few waves and was in the rip getting set for another when a bull shark came out of nowhere, chomping down on his arm and board. Luckily, his head was facing the other direction; its snout smacked him in the right temple."I just got hit by something," Pearson recounted. "And I remember saying that night it was like being hit by a freight train. … Next thing I noticed, I was under the water. There was bubbles everywhere. There was something big under there with me, but I couldn't make it out."His forearm muscle as well as thumb and wrist tendons were gone. He said he was stunned and dumbfounded. While he worked to get to the shore, wave after wave crashed down on his head, and he thought he was going to die.The pain, however, didn't arrive for about 15 minutes. His and his friends' first aid training kicked in. They called for an ambulance and helicopter.
That night, a doctor wanted to amputate his arm, but Pearson protested, and it didn't come to that. He was back in the water four days after being released from the hospital, and the first anniversary of the event was memorable, to say the least.
Pearson wanted to return to the spot where he was attacked, and just after he paddled out, a bull shark appeared, flashing its head and tail above the surface of the water. There was also a shark-shaped cloud low in the sky at sunset.
"The beauty of the celebration afterward is everybody else starts telling you what was happening to them on that day and what they heard and how they felt," Pearson said to Kanowski. "The most healing part of it is everybody else being able to let go of their situation as well."
In between those highlights, however, he struggled. Pearson remembers the day "it all fell apart." He woke up with a migraine two days after his release, and the pain in his arm, which he said lasted three years, was excruciating. He took two different medications, but they didn't work.
He had toast with tea before crawling, head spinning, from the kitchen to a chair and was "very uncomfortable" as he rested fitfully. When he slept, he had strange dreams, and then he woke up in "all sorts of pain again."
"And it wasn't long after that that I woke up screaming in the middle of the day," he said. He was watching himself the day of the attack, yelling so he would not jump into the water.
His partner, Deb, was home and said, "'You know you're doing that a lot,'" Pearson remembered. "That was when I knew that things weren't going all right."
The hardest part was being home alone during the day, dealing with the pain.
Do you worry about getting diseases from bug bites?
Absolutely
Only when I'm camping or hiking
Not really
Never
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.
"It became a tough ask to try and get on with my life," he said on Conversations.
In John Hunter Hospital after the attack, he had met a fellow shark attack survivor, and then there was another attack shortly after his on the NSW Central Coast. He called the hospital and left his number, telling Kanowski he did so because "it's much better when things are not a surprise to you."
He kept up the habit, even asking news outlets to put him in touch with other survivors. The group grew, and Pearson spent his two-hour drives home from work on Fridays calling people in Bite Club. Sometimes, he'd speak to six or seven people over those two hours; other times, he'd talk to one.
The impact he was having didn't hit him until a survivor from Western Australia told him they were contemplating suicide but didn't want to let Pearson down when he called the next day.
Now, Bite Club includes members who survived attacks by sharks, crocodiles, lions, dingoes, alligators, hippopotamuses, bears, and wolves.
"It's a tough meeting, and it always is. But there's a connection there straightaway," Pearson said on Conversations. "And I often say other shark attack survivors are like family that you've never met before because you've got that connection. … You become very comfortable with each other very quickly after you have that conversation."
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
16-06-2025
- USA Today
How much does insurance cost for a family in 2025? Charts show rising expenses
How much does insurance cost for a family in 2025? Charts show rising expenses The average cost of insuring a family of four through the workplace has nearly tripled since 2005, according to a report from Milliman Medical Index in May. A typical employer-sponsored health plan now costs more than $35,000 for the average family. The burden of these increasing costs is falling on employers and employees alike. 'Every month, your paycheck is smaller than it would be, because your premium costs are higher," Caroline Pearson, executive director of the nonprofit Peterson Center on Healthcare, told USA TODAY. 'Every year, your wages go up by less because your employer is paying more for health care." From 2005 to 2025, costs of health care increased an average of 6% each year, outpacing median wages and the average annual inflation rate of 2.5%. Employees now contribute a larger percentage of their paycheck to health care premiums through payroll deductions. From 2005 to 2025, employee contributions toward their total health care costs increased from 21% to 27%. Pearson told USA TODAY that only a fraction of health care premiums comes out of an employee's pay. 'The vast majority is getting picked up by the employer,' Pearson said, 'as a benefit in lieu of wages.' Why is health insurance so expensive? The total cost of providing health care to the typical family of four accounts for inpatient and outpatient care, professional services, pharmacy/drug costs and other services such as home health care, ambulance services, durable medical equipment and prosthetics. For individuals, outpatient facility care and higher prescription drug costs are the top two drivers of increased spending on health care over the past two decades, according to Milliman. Pricing structures, disease prevalence, and new medicines and technologies also factor into rising care costs, according to USA TODAY reporting. How much are Americans spending out-of-pocket on care? The average American spent $1,211 out of pocket on health care in 2025, according to Milliman Medical Index. Out-of-pocket expenses are costs not covered by insurance. Americans spend more out-of-pocket on health care than people in most comparable countries, the health policy nonprofit KFF found. In the United Kingdom, for example, out-of-pocket health care costs totaled $764 per person in 2022. 'We don't consume a lot more health care than other countries,' Dr. Atul Grover, executive director of the nonprofit AAMC Research and Action Institute, told USA TODAY. 'We just pay a lot more for each thing.' Health care costs are rising across the board: The average cost of care for an individual with private health insurance is close to $7,800, an increase of about 7% from the year before, Milliman reported. Total health care spending is projected to climb to $21,927 per person in 2032, according to a report from the nonprofit Peter G. Peterson Foundation. At that pace, health care spending is on track to consume one-fifth of the U.S. economy by 2032. Cost of insurance: Why Americans pay so much more for health care in 2024 How many Americans are uninsured? As of last year, 26.2 million Americans did not have health insurance, or 7.9% of the population, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Another 10.9 million Americans could lose their health insurance coverage through 2034 under President Trump's proposed tax cut bill, according to an analysis from the Congressional Budget Office. Americans without health insurance are more likely to skip getting medical treatment because of the expense, the Federal Reserve reported. Of those uninsured, 46% skipped medical treatment because they could not afford it, compared with 25% of the insured. In 2023, 23% of adults had major, unexpected medical expenses; the median cost was between $1,000 and $1,999, according to the Federal Reserve. CONTRIBUTING Daniel de Visé and Janet Loehrke
Associated Press
03-06-2025
- Associated Press
Brina Medical Launches Next-Generation CMAT Advantage to Accelerate Chronic Disease Detection and Transform Point-of-Care Diagnostics
MIAMI, June 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Brina Medical (US) LLC proudly launches the CMAT Advantage — a revolutionary next-generation point-of-care diagnostic device engineered to empower hospitals and healthcare providers to outpace the relentless rise of chronic disease. Built for speed, precision, and seamless integration at the frontline, this U.S.-designed and manufactured system leverages proprietary AI and precision-calibrated decision support tools to deliver real-time clinical insights, enabling care teams to detect disease earlier, intervene with confidence, and elevate patient care. 'Hospitals and healthcare providers face immense pressure to achieve better outcomes with fewer resources — and that's exactly where the CMAT Advantage delivers,' said Brent Pearson, CEO of Brina Medical. 'Designed for the realities of modern care — high volume, limited time, and maximum stakes — CMAT Advantage gives care teams a powerful ally to detect chronic disease early, act decisively, and improve lives before complications escalate. This isn't just a diagnostic device — it's a catalyst for system-wide transformation.' The CMAT Advantage integrates directly into clinical workflows, enabling providers to pinpoint disease at its most manageable stage, reduce avoidable hospitalizations, accelerate clinical decisions, and expand care capacity — all while restoring vital bandwidth to frontline teams and earning deeper patient trust. 'What sets Brina Medical apart isn't just innovation — it's how we empower hospitals and independent healthcare providers to operationalize it,' Pearson added. 'From pilots to full-scale rollouts, we collaborate closely with operational leaders to implement the CMAT Advantage where it delivers measurable, immediate, and sustainable impact. We don't just provide diagnostics — we drive momentum across the entire care continuum.' Extending Reach with Strategic Leadership Brina Medical also announces the formation of its Advisory Board — a collective of highly accomplished leaders in healthcare operations, innovation, and governance. This Board will actively shape Brina Medical's domestic and global growth strategies, ensuring alignment with the evolving needs of hospital systems, provider networks, and value-based care ecosystems. About Brina Medical (US) LLC Brina Medical is a U.S.-based healthcare solutions provider committed to advancing clinical excellence through innovation, precision, and uncompromising quality. Founded by medical technology veterans with deep expertise in healthcare operations and patient-centered care, Brina Medical partners with hospitals, clinics, and independent providers to deliver transformative diagnostic tools. As the provider of the CMAT Advantage by Brina Medical, we offer a non-invasive, fully reimbursable diagnostic device designed to accelerate early detection, optimize clinical workflows, and support value-based outcomes. These solutions improve patient health while driving efficiency and revenue for care providers. Guided by its mission to empower clinicians with intelligent diagnostics, Brina Medical is shaping a future where fast, accessible, and actionable testing is the standard — one solution, one provider, one patient at a time. For more information, visit or contact Ivy Dela Cruz, Head of Marketing, at [email protected]. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Brina Medical
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Yahoo
Brina Medical Launches Next-Generation CMAT Advantage to Accelerate Chronic Disease Detection and Transform Point-of-Care Diagnostics
MIAMI, June 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Brina Medical (US) LLC proudly launches the CMAT Advantage — a revolutionary next-generation point-of-care diagnostic device engineered to empower hospitals and healthcare providers to outpace the relentless rise of chronic disease. Built for speed, precision, and seamless integration at the frontline, this U.S.-designed and manufactured system leverages proprietary AI and precision-calibrated decision support tools to deliver real-time clinical insights, enabling care teams to detect disease earlier, intervene with confidence, and elevate patient care. "Hospitals and healthcare providers face immense pressure to achieve better outcomes with fewer resources — and that's exactly where the CMAT Advantage delivers," said Brent Pearson, CEO of Brina Medical. "Designed for the realities of modern care — high volume, limited time, and maximum stakes — CMAT Advantage gives care teams a powerful ally to detect chronic disease early, act decisively, and improve lives before complications escalate. This isn't just a diagnostic device — it's a catalyst for system-wide transformation." The CMAT Advantage integrates directly into clinical workflows, enabling providers to pinpoint disease at its most manageable stage, reduce avoidable hospitalizations, accelerate clinical decisions, and expand care capacity — all while restoring vital bandwidth to frontline teams and earning deeper patient trust. "What sets Brina Medical apart isn't just innovation — it's how we empower hospitals and independent healthcare providers to operationalize it," Pearson added. "From pilots to full-scale rollouts, we collaborate closely with operational leaders to implement the CMAT Advantage where it delivers measurable, immediate, and sustainable impact. We don't just provide diagnostics — we drive momentum across the entire care continuum." Extending Reach with Strategic Leadership Brina Medical also announces the formation of its Advisory Board — a collective of highly accomplished leaders in healthcare operations, innovation, and governance. This Board will actively shape Brina Medical's domestic and global growth strategies, ensuring alignment with the evolving needs of hospital systems, provider networks, and value-based care ecosystems. About Brina Medical (US) LLC Brina Medical is a U.S.-based healthcare solutions provider committed to advancing clinical excellence through innovation, precision, and uncompromising quality. Founded by medical technology veterans with deep expertise in healthcare operations and patient-centered care, Brina Medical partners with hospitals, clinics, and independent providers to deliver transformative diagnostic tools. As the provider of the CMAT Advantage by Brina Medical, we offer a non-invasive, fully reimbursable diagnostic device designed to accelerate early detection, optimize clinical workflows, and support value-based outcomes. These solutions improve patient health while driving efficiency and revenue for care providers. Guided by its mission to empower clinicians with intelligent diagnostics, Brina Medical is shaping a future where fast, accessible, and actionable testing is the standard — one solution, one provider, one patient at a time. For more information, visit or contact Ivy Dela Cruz, Head of Marketing, at ivy@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Brina Medical Sign in to access your portfolio
