Man Recalls Surviving Gruesome Shark Attack That Almost Had His Organs Spilling Out

Rodney Fox’s name is one that will never be forgotten in the annals of Australian history. Back in 1963, this seasoned diver and Australian shark expert suffered a horrific attack by a Great White shark off the coast of Australia in what’s considered one of the worst attacks in recorded history.

Thanks to his wetsuit, he was able to survive with 462 stitches and miraculously managed to escape with only a tooth from the beast embedded in his wrist.

Fox had just won a spear fishing competition in 1962, and was defending his title at 30 miles south of Adelaide when he encountered the beast. He described it as a “huge thump hit me in the chest so hard that immediately I thought it was a train.”

The injuries inflicted were so severe that his wetsuit was all that prevented his organs from spilling out and killing him, but even then he still suffered punctured diaphragm, torn lung, pierced shoulder blade as well as an exposed abdomen, ribcage, spleen and stomach.

When looking back on this momentous attack Rodney recalled how “its eyes were probably the most vulnerable thing” which allowed him an opportunity to fight back against it by gouging its head until it stopped dragging him down towards the ocean floor before eventually swimming away after swallowing a buoy he was tethered to.

After recovering from such an ordeal Rodney realized how important these creatures are for our ecosystems and devoted himself to helping others have life-changing experiences through underwater expeditions run by his son Andrew – aptly named ‘Rodney Fox Expeditions’. Now aged 80+, Fox has become an outspoken advocate for protecting sharks instead of hunting them: “Science has proven we need the shark – they’re not very many they don’t have many young…we should protect and look after them”.

This story serves as an inspiring reminder that no matter what life throws at you there is always hope.