Swimmer Attacked by Shark in California Speaks Out After Narrowly Escaping Death: 'I'm Lucky'

Swimmer Attacked by Shark in California Speaks Out After Narrowly Escaping Death: 'I'm Lucky'

The 62-year-old California man attacked by a shark on Wednesday while swimming at Lover's Point Beach in Monterey County says he's grateful to be alive after doctors said he narrowly escaped death.

Steve Bruemmer released a statement to local news station KION-TV late Thursday, explaining that while "the shark bite was unlucky," after that, "I have just had so much good luck."

Bruemmer is a retired Monterey Peninsula College professor and triathlete who has swum in Monterey Bay at least once a week for the last 10 years, the outlet reported. He was swimming about 150 yards from shore when the attack happened.

He said in his statement that the day's warm temperatures, clear skies, and a crowded beach fortunately factored in to his survival.

Monterey, CA, USA - May 2, 2021: People relaxing on the beach, Lovers Point Park ; Shutterstock
Monterey, CA, USA - May 2, 2021: People relaxing on the beach, Lovers Point Park ; Shutterstock

File: Shutterstock

"The day was so calm and warm, and the beach was crowded. There were no waves, and there was no chop. So people could hear me yelling 'Help' from a great distance, including from the Rec Trail, where someone called 9-1-1," Bruemmer recalled.

Three good Samaritans helped bring him to safety according to the San Francisco Gate. Two were Folsom nurse Aimee Johns and Sacramento cop Paul Band, a couple who were paddle boarding nearby while celebrating their wedding anniversary. The other was Heath Braddock, a surfer from Moss Landing. Teaching a safety class on the beach, Braddock quickly brought with him an extra board in his rescue mission.

"Those three (the surfer and the two paddleboarders) got me onto the extra board, and they had me hold the surfer's ankle while he paddled like crazy to get me to the beach," Bruemmer said. "They, along with several bystanders, including a doctor and a nurse who were on the beach for the day, helped put tourniquets on me and get me to the ambulance."

RELATED: Swimmer Sustains 'Significant Injuries' After Being Attacked by a Shark in California

Video shared of the aftermath of the attack showed Johns, Band and Braddock bringing Bruemmer to shore. He was then treated by EMTs and taken to the Natividad Medical Center, where he underwent a two-hour surgery.

"I remember I was lying in the ambulance, and I thought, 'My lungs are good. I can breathe.' So I didn't know if I was going to bleed to death, but my lungs were good," Bruemmer said. "And it seemed really lucky that the shark got me in a spot that seemed survivable. I was in the ambulance, thinking I don't know if I was going to survive, but at least I could breathe."

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Bruemmer suffered no damage to his organs or arteries, but will forever have a U-shaped shark bite on his pelvis.

"The fact that Natividad has a Trauma Center was a lifesaver," Bruemmer said. "They said I lost a tremendous amount of blood. Without all those things going right... I could have bled out."

"So yeah, I'm lucky," he added.

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It is unclear what type of shark bit Bruemmer, but investigators with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife took DNA samples from the swimmer's wetsuit to determine the species, KSBW-8 reported.

In light of the attack, the beach at the south end of Monterey Bay will be closed until Saturday, the Monterey Fire Department announced.