21-years-ago, Michael Coots was just 18-years-old and paddled out for what he thought was a routine surf session.
That day, he lost his leg to a tiger shark, an incident which Mike says is the best thing that ever happened to him.
Now, Mike surfs daily with a custom prosthetic leg, often at the same beach he was attacked. He’s a member of Pew Enviroment Group’s Shark Attack Survivors for Shark Conservation, and “loves everything about sharks.”
The rehabilitation process Mike undertook also allowed the surfer to harness a passion and skill for photography, something that has come in handy for his conservation work.
His phenomenal Instagram account boasts almost 200K followers, and the photographs he shares speak for themselves.
Mike took part in a Reddit Q&A to help spread the shark love.
Were you afraid of the ocean after the attack and if so how did you get over that fear and back in the water?
I was not afraid to go back in the water after the attack (my first time in was right where the attack happened). The ocean means everything to me and is part of my life. Much scarier to me a life without the sea than worrying about getting attacked again.
What went through your mind during the shark attack?
It was a complete fight or flight reaction. I had a creepy chill go through my body and at the same time punched the shark in the nose and it let go.
I felt no pain, only a lot of pressure, like someone heavy was sitting on my legs.
All I felt was a really calm, at ease state. It was strange, although I thought I was going to die, it was not scary.
Was it hard for you to advocate for something that attacked you? Why did you decide to do that?
As I learned the science behind the importance of sharks in our oceans, it became clear I was in a unique position to help. There are a group of us shark attack survivors who advocate on behalf of shark protections worldwide. We try to dispel myths about sharks and shark attacks since we know they are such a important part of the ecosystem.
I love sharks and am working with others for protection is that they are a extremely important part of the health of our oceans. Without them, our seas would be in a very bad state. Yes, people hear my story and it scares them, thats why I do my best to inform and change their perception of sharks and shark attacks.
why do you think the shark attacked you ?
I don’t know, but the water visibility was not clear and a bit of a fishy smell in the air. So I may of been mistaken for its natural prey.
If I were attacked by a shark I’d probably die … how did you survive?
My friend did some quick thinking and made a tourniqute out of the plastic leash on my board. That saved my life.
