Shark attack victim's friend breaks silence on seeing beast plunge its teeth into his leg and drag him underwater
Michael Hansen
Published Sep 05, 2026
A FLORIDA surfer has sprung into action to save his friend after a shark attacked and dragged him underwater.
Last Friday, close friends Chris Pospisil and Reece Redish were surfing along New Smyrna Beach, just south of Daytona, when disaster struck.
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While the two surfers were in the water, a shark attacked Pospisil, 21, biting into his foot.
“The shark came from under me, on my board and tipped me backwards off my board, and I was falling backwards, I saw my foot in his mouth, and it dragged me under,” the surfer and University of Central Florida student told local Fox affiliate WOFL.
Immediately, Redish sprang into action to save his friend.
“I’m not going to leave my friend in the water,” Redish recounted.
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“I’m willing to put myself at risk to help out anyone.”
Pospisil told the outlet that as soon as he resurfaced, Redish was already there, pulling him up by his shirt and onto the board.
Surveillance camera footage reviewed by Click Orlando reportedly shows Redish swimming quickly toward Pospisil while the shark still had his leg in its mouth.
“I hear splashes, I look over, Chris is underwater,” Redish told the outlet.
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“He pops up screaming, ‘I got bit!’”
The 21-year-old did suffer serious injuries to his foot in the attack, a GoFundMe for the student’s medical bills revealed.
Pospisil underwent a four hour surgery last Friday, during which the surgeon repaired seven tendons and multiple small arteries and also made a large skin graft to wrap around the foot from top to bottom.
During the surgery, several shattered pieces of the shark’s tooth were found stuck in Pospisil’s bone.
Pospisil, who is a member of UCF’s surfing team, was home from the hospital by Tuesday and is expected to recover over the next five to six months.
The surfer credited his friends' heroic actions for the reason why his injuries were not far worse.
“Reece really made the difference,” he told WOFL.
“You know, if he wasn’t there, I think it could have been way worse, and I think I definitely wouldn’t have gotten to shore in time and probably would have passed out in the water.”
Despite the ordeal, the two friends are ready to get back in the water.
“It hasn’t changed anything,” Pospisil said.
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“I’m definitely going to keep surfing. It’s my lifestyle, and it’s something I love to do.”
Redish agreed, saying that as soon as his friend is healed they’ll be surfing together every day.
