FORT PIERCE Fla. (WSVN) — A Fort Pierce resident was hospitalized after being bitten by a shark while surfing.
On March 12, Matt Picarelli was in the water and suddenly felt a strong bite on his foot. He looked down to see a large shark swimming away from him.
“I saw the shark after it bit me,” said Picarelli. “It was a surreal experience. There was a big animal next to me, coming towards me, and then once it bit me, it took a chomp out of my foot and immediately left.”
After being pulled out of the water, Picarelli received help from bystanders who applied pressure to the wound and provided water. He was subsequently transported to a hospital where he underwent surgery to repair a broken tendon and a chipped bone, requiring 50 stitches.
“Every night I’ve been having nightmares about sharks,” he said. “[In my dream], whether I’m in the water or in a room, the shark comes towards me and attacks me.”
Although shaken by the experience, Picarelli remains resolute in his love for surfing and his desire to return to the ocean after his foot recovers in a few weeks.
“Every surfer knows that there’s a danger of sharks because we’re in their home,” he said. “I’ve surfed my entire life, I love the ocean. I’m in there every day so, I don’t see myself not going back in after this.”
Picarelli’s encounter with a shark serves as a reminder of the inherent risks associated with activities in the ocean, especially in areas where sharks are known to inhabit.
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