A California shark attack survivor is making waves after sharing the harrowing story of how he was bitten by a great white shark – and lived to tell the tale. “Really unlucky to get bitten by the shark,” 62-year-old Steve Bruemmer described in a video released Wednesday by Natividad Medical Center, KSBW reported. The incident happened on June 22 while the avid waterman was swimming at Lovers Point Beach in Pacific Grove, near Monterey. The Monterey native, who was recently released from the hospital, recounted the fateful encounter. “It was such a beautiful day, there was no wind, the ocean was flat, there were no waves, it was so calm,” Brummer recalled from his hospital bed, describing the moments leading up to the attack. Not long after, the shark struck. “I was about 150 meters from the beach when I felt like it!” the retired college professor recounted. “I don’t even know exactly what happened, but it was just… it was fine… it turned out to be a vicious shark bite right on my thighs and stomach.” The shocked partner described: “He grabbed me and pulled me up and then dove me into the water and then of course he spat on me.” The survivor suspected the shark had mistaken him for a seal, but then relinquished its hold after realizing it was not “food”. Unfortunately, Jaws seemed to be considering making a second pass. The incident occurred June 22 while Bruemmer was swimming off Lovers Point Beach in Pacific Grove, near Monterey.CBS News “He was looking at me, right next to me,” Brummer explained. “I thought it might bite me again, so I pushed it with my hand and kicked it with my foot and it went away.” At that moment, the stricken swimmer and triathlete called for help, whereupon three Samaritans—two rowers and a surfer—rushed to his aid. Rescuers then used a surfboard to carry Bruemmer to shore like a makeshift garage. “The three of them in the bloody water lifted me onto the surfboard and pulled me onto the beach,” said the grateful mate, describing the heroic trio. “How do you get into the bloody water, with maybe a shark circling below you, to save a stranger? They are amazing.” Brumer was rushed to Natividad Medical Center in Salinas, where he underwent emergency surgery and received 28 units of blood. Experts considered the beachgoer extremely lucky as the shark came within a millimeter of severing a major artery. Lovers Point Beach was temporarily closed after the attack. CBS NewsBruemmer later thanked all the heroes involved in saving his life. “I’m going home now,” said the emotional survivor. Natividad Medical Center “It could have been much, much worse — he wouldn’t have made it out of the water,” Nicholas Roettler, a trauma surgeon at the medical center, told KSBW-TV. Brummer later thanked all the heroes involved in saving his life. “I’m going home now,” said the emotional survivor. “I want to thank Natividad, the Good Samaritans and the people at the beach and this pioneering ambulance driver.” He added, “Without all of you, I can’t do it. And oh blood donors — thank you so much. I am going home. I will recover and be fine — thanks to all of you.” Brummer received a standing ovation after his release from the hospital. Natividad Medical Center Brumer was rescued by two paddlers and a surfer, who loaded him onto a board and carried him to the beach. CBS News The clip ends with the former teacher leaving the hospital in a wheelchair as staff at the facility applaud his successful recovery. The ordeal comes amid a rash of shark attacks in the US this month. Yesterday, Long Island’s Smith Point Beach was closed after a 41-year-old surfer was bitten on the leg by what he believed to be a tiger shark. This marked the second closure of the beach this month, following an incident two weeks ago following an assault involving a Long Island lifeguard. Meanwhile, a Florida teenager had to have her leg amputated after a 9-foot shark attacked her while she was combing near Tallahassee last month.
