Florida firefighter bitten by shark at New Smyrna Beach
Firefighter bitten by shark at New Smyrna Beach
CJ Lyles, a firefighter from Florida, drove himself home after being bitten by a shark so his girlfriend could take him to the hospital. The 31-year-old was bitten by a shark while surfing at New Smyrna Beach on Tuesday. Video footage shows blood pouring from his injured hand as beachgoers gathered around to offer help.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. - CJ Lyles, a firefighter from Florida, drove himself home after being bitten by a shark so his girlfriend could take him to the hospital.
The 31-year-old was bitten by a shark while surfing at New Smyrna Beach on Tuesday. Video footage shows blood pouring from his injured hand as beachgoers gathered around to offer help.
Fresh out of the hospital on Thursday, Lyles recounted the incident.
"I just felt something hit my hand out of nowhere. It scared me. I felt razor-sharp teeth, some pressure, kinda like a vacuum in a way."
Lyles, a paramedic and driver engineer with the Edgewater Fire Department, realized he needed more than stitches when he saw his hand.
"My left index finger had two torn tendons in it that the doctor repaired, and my middle finger had one tendon that was lightly torn," he said.
Despite becoming the latest victim at the "Shark Bite Capital of the World," Lyles remains undeterred.
"I’ll give it a couple of weeks, see how my hand feels. Obviously, I’m going to think about it when I go back out, but I don’t think I can quit just based off that. It’s kind of a freak accident; unlucky!"