California Shark Attack Survivor Shares Dramatic Encounter and Advice for Surfers

A California surfer recounts his harrowing experience of being attacked by a great white shark in 2022 and offers invaluable advice to fellow surfers.

Jared Trainor, a seasoned surfer from California, recently shared his terrifying encounter with a great white shark that left a lasting impact on his life. The incident, which occurred in October 2022 at Centerville Beach in Ferndale, brought Trainor face-to-face with death and tested his limits.

Paddling out to catch the next set of waves, Trainor noticed a group of seals, a common sight in the area. However, a sense of unease lingered in his mind as he recalled the increased presence of sharks during "Sharktober." Just as he settled onto his board, Trainor was suddenly struck with immense force.

California Shark Attack Survivor Shares Dramatic Encounter and Advice for Surfers

"It appeared that it [the shark] came up and pushed my left leg up into the air and latch onto my right leg and board," recounted Trainor. "I was lucky that the board was pinned beneath the lower jaw." Submerged underwater, Trainor's last memory was looking back at the beach and seeing his dogs. When he regained consciousness, he realized the severity of his situation.

"I could just see this large black silhouette," said Trainor. Initially, he assumed he had been attacked by an aggressive sea lion. However, the pain and crunching sensation on his knee told a different story. Desperate to escape the shark's grip, Trainor mustered all his strength and kicked the predator.

California Shark Attack Survivor Shares Dramatic Encounter and Advice for Surfers

To his surprise, the shark released him from its grasp and disappeared into the depths. Using his surfboard as a makeshift flotation device, Trainor slowly made his way back to shore. "I had no idea that I was lacerated to the extent that I was," he said, referring to the extensive injuries he had sustained.

Upon reaching the beach, Trainor was met by a kind-hearted fellow surfer who had witnessed the attack and rushed to his aid. The surfer used a dog leash as a makeshift tourniquet to stop the bleeding while waiting for emergency medical services. Trainor's injuries included six lacerations across his inner thigh, a torn MCL in his knee, and some bone penetration.

California Shark Attack Survivor Shares Dramatic Encounter and Advice for Surfers

Following surgery and extensive physical therapy, Trainor has made a remarkable recovery and has even returned to surfing. However, he now takes precautions by surfing with a group of friends and communicating their presence in the water. "It was important to me to kind of overcome whatever sort of PTSD that I was experiencing from the attack," he said.

"People have died from this thing, and I was pretty close to losing my own life," Trainor acknowledges the gravity of the situation. "I feel really grateful that I was able to bounce back from it." Trainor's experience serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that lurk beneath the ocean's surface and the importance of taking necessary precautions while surfing.

California Shark Attack Survivor Shares Dramatic Encounter and Advice for Surfers