JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Surfer Chad Renfro is at home and resting today after he was bitten by a shark in Jacksonville Beach this week.
The waves were crashing and Chad was out taking advantage on his board, waiting for his dad and brother to join him. It began as a pretty typical day for the guy who's been surfing since he was five.
"I just caught a wave and I was paddling back out and I felt a shark clamp on my foot," he said.
He quickly began swimming to shore as fast as he could.
"I was kind of thinking it was chasing me for a second."
At that point, he had no idea how bad the bite was. His college basketball career flashed before his eyes.
"I looked at it and I thought I would be able to play basketball so I wasn't happy, but it wasn't as bad as losing your whole foot."
Chad currently attends Barry University in Miami on a full ride. When he got to the hospital, his doctors confirmed he was definitely bit by a shark. But evaluating the damage, they told him he should make a full recovery.
"They were doing X-rays to see if there might have been a shark tooth but there wasn't," he said. "No souvenir," he laughed.
And while he's bummed to be stuck indoors recuperating, he knows it could have been a lot worse. He just wishes other surfers in the area had given him the heads up.
"There was like a guy who was probably like 30 feet away and he said he saw a shark but, I don't know, he could've told me!" he laughed again.
It's safe to say Chad's in pretty good spirits. He heads back to the doctor Tuesday when he may be fitted for a boot.
