Parker Blanchette was bitten by a shark at North Beach on Oahu’s Kaneohe Marine Corps Base on May 3. Right as he jumped off his board after surfing a wave, he felt the apex predator sink its teeth into his soft flesh. But he wasn’t worried. In fact, Parker knew this could happen. He hasn’t been surfing long but he understands that he’s learned to ride waves in places that sharks call home. It’s their turf.
“It felt pretty darn normal,” he said. “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, and I paddled to shore.”
Parker told authorities he had to push the shark off his leg by calmly shoving it in the lower jaw area. He told local media that there’s no way the incident will keep him out of the ocean. “Even though there’s a lot of sharks, don’t be scared of the water, we’re kind of in their area,” he said.
The eighth grader was reportedly cracking jokes with lifeguards and keeping his mom calm. “He was so chill, I actually didn’t expect it to be that big of a deal,” his mom, Amanda Blanchette said. “He said, ‘Hey mom, I need you to come pick me up, I was bit by a shark and I’m going to need couple of stitches,’ and I got down here and it was more than a couple of stitches.”
It was actually 100. But Parker didn’t seem to mind, calling it a miracle the bite missed an artery. The dude can’t wait to go surfing again. Welcome to the mafia, Parker. You’re definitely in the family for life!
