Surfer Mick Fanning Going Through ‘Emotional, Mental Trauma’ As He Returns Home To A Hero’s Welcome
Surfer Mick Fanning has had quite a rough week after he got attacked by a shark as he was competing in the J-Bay Open on Tuesday in South Africa. He has since returned to his homeland of Australia, and he got quite a hero’s welcome.
He was obviously emotional as he talked to reporters in Sydney about his traumatic experience as he came face-to-face with the shark. The Guardian reported that Fanning was at least thankful to the sea creature as he had a message for the shark, saying, “Thanks for not eating me!”
All joking aside, Mick Fanning is just grateful to be out of the water and still in one piece. It may be a while before he is ready to get back into riding the waves, but he vows that he will get back into the water at some point. He describes how he is feeling right now.
“It’s more of an emotional, mental trauma. It will probably take a couple of weeks, months, I don’t know how long it’s going to take [to get over it]. I’m just lucky I’ve got great people around me.”
Surfing fans got to see the whole thing play out live in person and on TV, as you could see the shark’s fin right behind the 34-year-old as he was in the water. It was heart-stopping, especially for his mother, who was also watching the whole thing play out at her home. The Inquisitr reported just how horrified Elizabeth Osborne was as she saw what was happening to her son.
Mick Fanning has now become somewhat of a hero after this shark incident as it could have ended differently. The video of the incident in South Africa has gone viral. Everyone is talking about it.
The Australian did mention that when he sees something like a photo at the airport, he gets very emotional. You sure can’t blame the guy. Pretty much everyone who has seen the footage may have had their heart stopped, as well.
#MickFanning describes the moment he realized he was being attacked by a #shark: http://t.co/Uh3lTfAVlp http://t.co/056RrUddh0
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) July 21, 2015
The pro surfer’s fighting spirit took over when he realized that the shark was after him. Fox Sports reported that Mick said at a news conference that he went into fight-or-flight mode as he started throwing punches at the shark. Fanning went on to explain what happened at the time he was attacked.
“I started getting dragged under water by my leg rope. At that stage I was screaming, I was telling Jules to get in, I was worried it was coming after me.”
Julian Wilson watched as his friend was fighting for his life out in the ocean waves. That is when he started paddling towards him to help. Eventually, jet skis came in to get both men out of the water to safety. Mick has called Wilson a “warrior.”
Mick Fanning is considered a hero and got quite the hero’s welcome as he went home. The one person who will give him the best welcome of all is his mother. She will just be happy to have her son alive and well.
[Photo by Mark Kolbe / Getty Images]
