After gruesome shark attack, ‘Jackass’ star makes emotional return to shark diving
Jackass star Sean McInerney, aka Poopies, returned for a new season Shark Week, Sunday. Last year he suffered a gruesome shark bite while performing a stunt for the annual Discovery series. Since then he has suffered from an understandable phobia of sharks.
“It's really important for me to get over that fear, 'cause I don't want that accident to stop me from doing what I love,” Poopies said, “I love the ocean, and I love surfing. I'm never gonna stop.”
Poopies attends physical therapy twice a week in hopes of regaining full use of his injured hand. But in order to get over the emotional trauma, he decided to get back in the water with sharks.
Viewers couldn’t understand why he was willing to risk another shark bite. One person tweeted, “I’m sorry, if my hand got bit by a shark ain't no way yall getting me back in the water.” But Poopies bravely faced his fears and didn’t even get bit one time.
“Holy moly, I did it,” exclaimed Poopies, as he surfaced from his dive. “You definitely have to have respect for those sharks. I feel a lot better, I don't have fear of dying when I'm next to sharks anymore.”
Even though it was scary, now he can return to enjoying the ocean again.
“It was definitely nerve-wracking down there,” Poopies explained. “I was definitely a little scared, I had to hang on to the boys a couple times….Now I can go surf and water ski big waves!”
Video Transcript
[AUDIO LOGO]
SEAN MCINERNEY: It's really important for me to get over that fear, because I don't want that accident to stop me from doing what I love. And I love the ocean, and I love surfing. I'm never going to stop.
KYLIE MAR: "Jackass" star Sean McInerney, a.k.a. Poopies, returned Sunday for Shark Week, one year after he suffered a gruesome shark bite while performing a stunt for the annual Discovery series.
SEAN MCINERNEY: Yeah, I thought I was going to die in front of my friends, like-- oh, this is pretty heavy. Yeah, I'm here, so--
KYLIE MAR: Poopies attends physical therapy twice a week in hopes of regaining full use of his injured hand. But in order to get over the emotional trauma, he decided to get back in the water with sharks. Viewers couldn't understand why he was willing to risk another shark bite. As one person tweeted, "I'm sorry if my hand got bit by a shark, ain't no way y'all getting me back in the water." But Poopies bravely faced his fears and didn't even get bit once.
- You did it, bud!
SEAN MCINERNEY: Oh my god. Holy moly, I did it. But you definitely have to have a respect for those sharks. I feel a lot better. I don't have like fear of like dying when I'm next to sharks anymore.
KYLIE MAR: Viewers tweeted out their appreciation for the stunt man's bravery. And even though it was scary, now he can return to enjoying the ocean again.
SEAN MCINERNEY: It was definitely nerve wracking down there. I was definitely a little scared. I had to hang on to the boys a couple of times.
- You conquered your fear of sharks?
SEAN MCINERNEY: Yeah, I did. Now I can go surf and water ski big waves.
[AUDIO LOGO]
