Teen surfer bitten by shark in Hawaii says 100 stitches will leave a ‘sick scar’
Fourteen-year-old Parker Blanchette was surfing when he felt a punch on his leg.
The teen is used to surfing at North Beach in Hawaii. He goes at least six times a week, KITV reported.
He had been surfing for three hours May 3 when he hopped off his board after riding a wave, according to KHON. That’s when a shark sunk its teeth into his leg.
Parker was about 30 feet offshore when a nearly 6-foot-long shark grabbed onto his leg, Hawaii News Now reported.
The eighth grader didn’t panic. He told the news outlet that the bite didn’t even last a second. He pushed the shark away and got back to the shore.
“It felt pretty darn normal,” the teen told KHON. “I was just hopping off a wave and it felt like a little punch to my leg, and I immediately hopped on my board after seeing the blood. I paddled to shore.”
Parker called his mother and told her what happened. He acted like it was no big deal, but his mom knew how serious the injury could be.
“He said, ‘Hey mom, I need you to come pick me up. I got bit by a shark and I’m gonna need a couple of stitches,” Amanda Blanchette, Parker’s mom, told KITV. “I got down here and it was more than a couple of stitches.”
The teen was rushed to the hospital where a surgeon told his mother he would need at least 100 stitches, KHON reported. To Parker, the shark bite is cool.
“I’m gonna have a sick scar soon,” Parker told Hawaii News Now. “It’s gonna look epic.”
Parker isn’t going to let his injury keep him from surfing. He is ready to get back in the water even with his stitches.
“Even though there’s a lot of sharks, don’t be scared of the water, “ he told KHON. “We’re kind of in their area.”
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