Diver stands strong after nearly losing foot to shark

If you were to meet Marc Riglos today, you’d never imagine that less than a year ago he nearly lost his foot. He stands tall, walks without assistance, swims and leads an active lifestyle.

But on Nov. 4, while participating in the annual Maui Sporting Goods Roi Round-up, Riglos was bitten by a 15-foot tiger shark in waters 30 to 80 feet deep off Wai­ehu. The 31-year-old Wai­luku resident said he felt a tug on his right leg and thought friend and fellow diver Kau­lana Kaaa was playing a prank. Then he realized a shark had swallowed his fin and was working on his foot.

"I could see his mouth and double rows of teeth. He was huge," said Riglos, who believes the reflector tape on his fins may have attracted the predator.

He punched the beast on its snout and was able to free his foot. Kaaa made a tourniquet using a diving line, and the two divers dropped their weight belts and gear and headed in to shore. With his foot dangling by an inch of skin, "we were just letting the waves carry us in," Riglos said.

"I was crying. I really didn’t think I was going to make it," he said. "I was holding onto my foot the whole time I was swimming. I needed to stay calm. If you panic, the heart pumps faster and more blood comes out. I almost passed out a few times."

It took nearly a half-hour to reach the beach, and even longer for an ambulance from Kihei to arrive since paramedics at the nearby Wai­luku station were attending to other emergencies. "I got to the hospital about an hour later. After surgery I was wondering if I’d still have my leg," he said.

Following the incident, his mother was told her son would most likely never walk again. Extensive nerve and bone damage occurred when the shark clamped down on his leg. But doctors were able to save his foot. "They put a metal plate and some pins. I had all kinds of rods holding my foot together," Riglos said.

He has undergone three surgeries on Maui and one on Oahu.

The first three months of recovery were tough, he said, and getting around was difficult. The support of his family, friends and the community was critical. He used the time to baby-sit his newborn daughter and obtain his electrician’s license.

"I remained positive. During the first month I started walking with crutches already. I had to really push hard," he said. Physical therapy sessions lasted for a few months, sometimes three times per week. He continues to perform physical therapy on his own using resistance bands.

"My Achilles tendon was really damaged," he said.

He’s been spending time in the gym, lifting weights and doing squats, trying to strengthen the muscles and tendons in his ankle. Riglos said he’s functioning at about 80 percent and just got clearance to go back to work as an electrician at Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co.

"I can’t jump well and my toes won’t go up. I’m supposed to have another surgery," he said.

Being in shape probably helped Riglos survive the ordeal. He used to run and swim a lot. Although he can’t run now, he sometimes jogs on a treadmill and frequently goes to the swimming pool.

Riglos said he’s been diving since middle school and had encountered tiger sharks before. "They come by and check you out," he said.

Since the shark bite, Riglos has been in the ocean but stays closer to shore. "Diving feels different now. I’ve got to get rid of that fear. I really love it and want to get back to it."

He and his daughter hang out at the spot where the attack happened. Riglos chalks up the terrifying experience to bad timing: "Wrong day, wrong time," he said.

"I just thank God for giving me a second chance."

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“Be Well” features inspiring stories of people dealing with health challenges. Reach Nancy Arcayna at narcayna@staradvertiser.com or call 529-4808.