Kansas visitor Ken Grasing said he was in 4 to 5 feet of water about 100 feet from the shoreline at Hapuna Beach with his two sons Wednesday when he saw a black shape appear and move quickly toward him.
Realizing it was a shark, he struck it with his right fist on the side of its head and only later realized the shark had mangled his left arm.
"I was yelling," Grasing said at a press conference Friday afternoon at the Queen’s Medical Center. "I was afraid the shark would attack them (his sons). … I was yelling for help."
For whatever reason, he said, the shark decided not to continue its attack.
The 58-year-old physician had been on vacation with his family on Hawaii island.
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources said the attack took place shortly before noon and that a 10- to 12-foot-long tiger shark was seen in the area at 1 p.m. Wednesday.
Grasing was rushed to North Hawaii Community Hospital and then flown to Queen’s, where he underwent surgery to repair his left arm. He was expected to leave the hospital Saturday.
The surgery repaired nine tendons, a nerve and a muscle. "I am very grateful for the excellent work," he said.
Hapuna Beach was closed shortly after the attack and was reopened at 7 a.m. Friday.
Grasing held the news conference with wife Lisa, 16-year-old son Danny and 18-year-old son Michael by his side.
He said the family vacation was to celebrate Michael’s graduation and successful completion of his studies.
Grasing said they have come to the state three times, but the visit to Hawaii island was their first there.
The family had just finished snorkeling, and he was looking out at the ocean when the shark came rushing toward him, he said.
After the attack, someone helped him to shore, and people brought towels and tied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.
He felt lightheaded. "I could feel the blood loss," he said.
Grasing said that for an instant he wondered whether the shark attack was really happening to him.
He said he had heard about hitting the shark on its nose to discourage an attack, but the shark was swimming with great speed and power.
"It’s harder than you think," he said. "It had a lot of teeth."
Grasing said when he struck the shark on the side of its head, the body was solid and the skin felt like sandpaper.
"It was like hitting a wall," he said.
Grasing said he works at the Kansas City Veterans Administration Medical Center and is involved in medical research on treating addictions.
He said he expects stiffness in his left arm and having to undergo rehabilitation.
"I’m expected to make a full recovery. I think it’s going to be fine," he said.
Grasing said he was worried that the shark attacked him in a public area of the beach.
"Is it possible it was stalking the beach?" he asked. "I hope it’s not."
Asked whether he plans to return to Hapuna waters, Grasing said, "I’m not sure if I’m ever going to snorkel again."
But he had the presence of mind to explain the attack in detail and discuss with confidence his imminent recovery.
"That’s part of my philosophy," he said.
"You’ve got to keep a positive attitude."
