Reef sharks are not typically aggressive around people. However, if they spot some food, then all bets are off. Unfortunately for Parker, he was ambushed at the wrong moment—when he was holding a grouper fish. The video opens with a shot of the light blue water and the familiar sounds of water lapping on the surface. You can immediately see the grouper fish that Parker is holding in his left hand and the speargun that he’s holding in his right hand. It doesn’t take long before the reef shark comes into full view. Parker looks over and it can be seen just a few feet from him in all its glory, swimming extremely close to the surface. Parker’s head is above water and he’s using his diving fins to stay afloat. He looks down underwater again to look for the reef shark and at that moment, the reef shark has already spotted its prey. It quickly charges toward Parker, and you can see him trying to swim backward and away from the reef shark. He flaps his diving fins wildly, but his attempt is futile at this point. There is commotion in the water and bubbles erupt on the screen for a few moments as the reef shark makes contact with Parker. It’s unclear what has happened. However, the next image is of Parker reaching down to his left leg, where a chunk of skin is missing. It’s a bit blurry, which makes it hard to assess the extent of the damage. He looks down again and you can see bits of Parker’s shin flapping outward from the wound. He places his right hand over it instinctively, trying to protect himself. The video has subtitles that explain Parker was able to escape the situation and was rushed to the hospital. Once at the hospital, he was treated for a torn tibial artery—he also had significant skin and muscle damage. The final images of the video show a clearer view of how damaged his leg truly was. You can see down to the bone and the blood loss that ensued. Luckily, Parker survived this encounter.
Up next, more heart-racing shark encounters:
Watch How Close This Woman Came To Becoming A Shark’s Meal Watch: Woman Swimming Between Hawaiian Islands Stalked By A Shark Must See: Great White Shark Stalks Diver to Surface
