According to USA Today, Justin Stuller was in the Florida Keys on holiday with his family when he was attacked by a 2-and-a-half metre lemon shark. This is the second time Stuller has been attacked by a wild animal, as in 2013 he was mauled by an alligator.
Stuller, 38, is an experienced diver, and while out at sea he spotted an injured fish in the water nearby and went to retrieve it. Just as he came up for air the shark attacked him just below his knee.
The shark abandoned its prey after the first bite, and Stuller surfaced and shouted to his family for help. He was then helped aboard a boat and his wife used a first aid kit to treat him. He lost very little blood due to the quick application of first aid, and his 2-year-old and 5-year-old children, who had been on the boat with him, remained calm as they travelled to hospital.
According to Stuller his 2-year-old remarked “Da-da, boo-boo” whilst his 5-year-old said, “Good thing you didn’t get bit on the head, Dad, then you couldn’t wear your hat.”
Stuller made it to hospital where he received stitches.
This is the second time Stuller has had a serious run-in with dangerous wildlife. In 2013 whilst hunting alligators he was attacked by an alligator as he was trying to drag it by its snout. The 2-metre-long alligator broke free from his grasp and attacked him in the thigh. This bite became infected and he needed antibiotics and 3 months for recovery.
Stuller said of the shark that attacked him “I’ve got nothing against the shark, no ill will,” he said. “Right place, wrong time. I was more angry I couldn’t go in the water the next day.”
The life of a Florida man is never dull.