“That is one of the remarkable parts of the story, he told me he swam back to the beach by himself. And then he had to walk 300 metres to the carpark where he was able to get some help from bystanders. With the extent of his injuries, this was quite remarkable.”

Paramedics have hailed the survival story of a South Australian surfer who swam back to shore by himself and walked 300 meters for help after suffering a serious shark bite as remarkable. The Guardian reports the 29-year-old Dion Lynch was bitten on Sunday while surfing at D’Estrees Bay on Kangaroo Island, sustaining serious lacerations on his back, buttocks and leg “consistent with quite a large shark bite.” 

He was surfing alone and had no choice but to rescue himself and paddle back to the remote beach and walk 3 football fields to get help. Luckily an off-duty paramedic was in the area and drove to the beach in his personal car to stabilize him on the side of the road until an ambulance came on scene.

Dion is still in the hospital where he’s feeling “incredibly lucky” and “optimistic I’ll make a full recovery.” Hats off to this tough as nails Aussie. Well wishes for a speedy recovery mate.

Here’s a written statement from Dion on the events of the attack:

Francis Xavier is a seasoned writer for Unofficial Networks, bringing a lifetime of outdoor experience to his work. Having lived in a ski resort town for years he has a deep connection to mountain culture....