CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte man who survived a shark attack in the Outer Banks is sharing his story.
Patrick Thornton said he was vacationing with his children over the weekend when he and the kids were hit by a large wave. That’s when Thornton noticed a 5-foot-long shark as the water receded.
Related coverage:
- Teen bitten by shark on NC Outer Banks in serious condition
- Man bitten by shark in North Carolina's Outer Banks
- Shark bites swimmer at SC beach
- GMA Exclusive: Victim of Oak Island shark attack to be on GMA Thursday
- Source: Child apparently bitten by shark in Surf City
- 12-year-old girl walks for first time after shark attack on NC coast
- Shark attack survivor: Fish was 'biting up my left arm'
- Shark attack victims both lose limbs as 911 calls released
- Teen injured after reported shark attack on NC coast
“I turned my body so that my back was to the waves -- didn’t see anything -- and I felt a tug at my foot and my foot kind of get wretched back almost to where I fell, and I realized it was a pretty large, pretty large creature that grabbed my foot,” Thornton said.
He said he punched the shark to get it off him and was injured on his right leg and lower back.
Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com: