“For Mick (Fanning) it was punching it with his fist”.
Advertisement
Fanning, who has been part of the world tour since 2002, has been a mentor to Wilson as the World Surfing League has travelled the globe.
Australian surf champion Mick Fanning vowed Tuesday to return to the waves after a “miracle” escape from a shark attack, as he paid tribute to courageous mate Julian Wilson for rushing to help.
She watched helplessly as her son disappeared beneath the surface of the water. Only he didn’t see it because his back was turned.
“All of a sudden I felt a presence or something behind me”, the 34-year-old told a media conference attended by around 80 reporters and camera crew.
“So to turn my back on surfing, it just wouldn’t feel right”. I started paddling towards him. Then the shark swam back around for another go.
“I was on top of it, trying to put my board in between us”, Fanning said.
“It shows me how much he’s loved”, she said through tears.
“It will probably take – I don’t know – a couple of weeks, months”.
But Wilson had other ideas. The next time we were about to go sailing, I grabbed onto a pole on the dock and they literally had to pull me off of it, white knuckled and screaming.
Fortunately, the water patrol got to both surfers in time. His head sank to the floor of the raft for a moment as the reality of what had happened began to dawn on him.
“I felt so insignificant”.
The mom of a surfer who was attacked by a shark all through a levels of competition in explained she was “terrified” by movie of the attack.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, himself a keen surfer, said seeing a shark so close to a surfing contest was terrifying.
Then came the day after. Perrow said that everyone was happy to see Fanning alive and safe.
But you know what the South African actress wasn’t too busy for? “We want to express our deep gratitude to the Water Safety Team”, organizers tweeted.
‘I’m just so thankful and so proud of Mick and so grateful to the universe that he didn’t have a leg missing.’.
He said that although it had been an ordeal for him, he was touched by all the kind words people were sending his way. Even if he were not a professional, he said, he would always do it. “We nearly just watched our friend get eaten by a shark and I’m just blown away that there’s no damage at all”.
Advertisement
“I’m sure I’ll go back surfing…it’s something I do, it’s something that gives me peace”.
