A Floridian fisherman found himself embroiled in a shark attack while spearfishing in the Bahamas. He was very lucky to get out of it with his arm in tact.
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Father of three Eddie Jarmakowicz, 52, was having a great time on his three-day fishing trip in The Bahamas in August. As he told local outlet 25 WPBF, however, it took a turn for the worst when his fresh catch got taken from him.
Oh yeah, and when he almost lost his arm in the robbery.
On August 16, he was spearfishing in the Grand Cay when he got bitten by a shark.
He spoke to CBS12, where he recounted his attack. “I’d speared a mutton snapper. As I was swimming to retrieve the fish, I pulled it close to this (left) hand,” he explained.
“I was swimming up to the surface and as I transitioned to look up for the boat, something hit my hand. I believe that my hand was all the way into the shark’s mouth by the lacerations that came up the forearm.”
The crazy thing is, he never saw the shark that attacked him. Although it was very apparent from the wounds he suddenly found on his arms. “I kind of pulled back and then pushed forward. I lost the fish I had speared and never saw the shark that attacked me.”
Fisherman Left With Dangling Wrist After Shark Attack
“My wrist was hanging down, and I could see flesh, so obviously that was a concern. I swam back to the boat, and the whole rescue started from then,” he added.
His friend in the water with him saw when the six-foot reef shark grabbed the snapper and left vicious lacerations down Jarmakowicz’s arm. He jabbed the shark with the spear, which made it leave.
They acted quickly to get Jarmakowicz the treatment he needed. After 45 minutes, they were by the shore. He was then airlifted to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Before being treated, he lost a litre of blood.
Trauma surgeon Dr. Aleta Paschal described the serious injuries the fisherman sustained. “He had a major injury where we consider it a mangled extremity, multiple muscles that were exposed, tendons that were involved.”
“I could see down to his bone and his forearm. I slowly brought down the tourniquet just to see if the vascular flow was affected, and thankful to God it wasn’t.”
Despite the grievous injuries, no motor functions have been affected. He is to have several months of physical therapy.