A MAN has been pictured grinning with his leg covered in blood after he survived an attack from a bull shark that tried to rip off his foot.
Chance Armand was taking a dip while out spearfishing when he saw the shark’s shadow and was forced to swim for his life.
Chance Armand posing after a shark bit his leg while he was out spearfishing[/caption]
Armand fashioned a tourniquet with items on the boat to help stop the bleeding[/caption]
The beast sank its teeth into Armand’s leg on Saturday afternoon, about 20 miles offshore of the Pensacola Pass.
“By the time I acknowledged he wasn’t gonna turn around, it was too late,” Armand told Fox affiliate WALA.
He told WALA that he’s familiar with sharks and often sees them when he’s out fishing, but was surprised when the beast went after him.
“I didn’t really have time to, you know, react otherwise besides put my knee between myself and the shark,” Armand said.
Armand said that after the shark bit his knee, it turned around and swam back down.
He then raced to the boat, where his friends pulled him up to help.
“We were able to fashion a make-shift tourniquet out of a t-shirt, a speargun band and a fillet knife,” Armand said.
Then the group took a picture of Armand, posing just minutes after his leg was nearly ripped off.
In the picture, Armand is grinning with his tongue out as he holds up his leg, which is covered in blood and has a tourniquet fashioned.
He said that he couldn’t feel pain from the shark bite at first, and that he could only feel pressure from the attack.
In a Facebook post, Armand also shared graphic pictures of the fresh wound around his left knee.
“Spicy Bullshark decided he wanted my fish too on my way up from a dive today,” Armand wrote in the post.
“Couldn’t have asked for better people to help me out in the moment.
“Love what we do but definitely a reminder to soak up every moment with your family and friends because [a] routine day can be your last.”
Armand said he initially didn’t feel any pain when the shark bit him[/caption]
Armand’s wound was thankfully only a flesh wound[/caption]
He also shared pictures of himself recovering in a hospital bed.
Armand said once the spearfishing group had cellphone service, they called 911.
First responders met the boat on the dock and he was quickly taken to a nearby hospital.
“By the grace of God, there was no tendon damage, no bone damage, no artery damage, it’s just one giant, gnarly flesh wound,” Armand said.
The fisherman said he will be sure to have a tourniquet ready the next time he takes to the sea.
Armand posing with a picture at the hospital after a shark bit his leg[/caption]
