It’s every surfer’s worst nightmare.
The day my life changed forever
Anzac Day 2015 greeted surfers with less than average conditions. Nevertheless that didn’t deter Chris, Nick and Brock - three good mates obsessed with surfing - who paddled out at Right Point, Fishery Bay. But nothing could prepare them for what they were about to encounter.
Chris Blowes was paddling back out to tell the others he was going to get one more wave before heading in, when he was hit from behind by what felt like a truck. Chris was engulfed in the jaws of a great white shark.
Chris, his board and the shark were no where to be seen. When Chris popped up his mates moved quickly to rescue him, with the ever-present shark beneath them.
Chris had lost a leg and had serious lacerations to his left flank. He had lost a lot of blood and if that wasn’t bad enough he was at the bottom of a cliff, over 30km from the nearest country hospital with little acute trauma resources.
Fast thinking and proactive surfers worked quickly to tourniquet his leg and stretcher him to an awaiting vehicle where they drove to meet paramedics.
Barely alive Chris received just under 90 minutes of CPR in the ambulance and emergency department of the Port Lincoln hospital, where a team of diligent paramedics, nurses and doctors worked hard to bring Chris back from the brink.
Right Point, Fishery Bay(Photo courtesy of Matthew Trewartha)
Getting my life back
Learning to walk again was just the first step. Chris had other goals including getting back to work as a builder, but more importantly surfing and to do this he had to step outside of his comfort zone and view his failures as learning opportunities.
Chris is now the managing director of his own successful building business. He is an Australian Para Surf Champion and has represented Australian at the World Para Surf Titles in California.
Chris is living proof that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.