“Gonna Eat Your Children”: After Losing a Leg and an Arm to Shark Attack, Survivor Goes Candid on These Marine Predators

Would you become a marine life advocate if you lost your career and limbs in a shark attack? Probably not. At some point in our lives, we have all secretly desired to have a hero moment. Some wander in quest of purpose, while others, like the former Australian Navy diver, Paul de Gelder, float through life. With the upgrade from his boring existence, he surrounded himself with one of his worst fears, shark attacks. After only four years in his dream job, he was testing new Navy tracking technology when a terrible accident changed his life forever.

Just looking back at the most difficult period in his life and the present ideas could serve as motivation. The diver had to take an extended hiatus from his profession before he could feel normal again. Fast forward to now, and his story has reached multiple platforms, where he is recognized as a shark conservationist. From loathing the beasts to becoming their voice, his perilous journey continues to draw attention as he talks.

Diving Survivor voices for shark conservation

On February 11, 2009, Paul de Gelder dived into the ocean while doing a counter-terrorism exercise in Sydney Harbour. Just a few minutes in, a massive grey shark came face-to-face while his survival instincts kicked in. Before he could react, almost 600-pound animal bit off his right leg and hand with the same bite. Fast forward to now, he sat at the 35th Annual Shark Week and said, “People think these are monsters lurking in the ocean, that they’re gonna eat your children.” What changed him to come out in support of his predators, despite his horrifying story?

In his CNN interview, he goes on to say that they are just sharks doing what they do and that it is people that go to the ocean. Since his recovery and the massive publicity after the shark attack, he felt compelled to learn about sharks. The more he learned about marine animals, he realized how vulnerable their populations are, the problems they face, and the roles they play in our ocean. He went on to suggest that it is our responsibility as the most “intelligent” species to take precautions to ensure safety in the water.

This is not his first appearance as a shark advocate. He has been a Shark Week star for a decade now. Gelder lives on as a diving survivor who faced life with a positive attitude. The listeners were taken aback when Gelder became the voice of one of nature’s deadliest creatures. Although his journey is not all that great when we take a closer look at it. Even though he previously stated openly that he wanted to take his own life and asked his mother for a gun, did you know he overcame the dark space?

Diving accident, recovery, and the second-worst fear

Gelder swam back to the rescue boat in a pool of his blood while feeling his whole hamstring, most of his right leg, and all the nerves torn off by the shark. He couldn’t stand the pain after his 20-hour operation and even considered shooting himself. Finally, after medications, he returned to the navy base with the hopes of joining the diving squad. He realized his role doing combat situations and, to his surprise, received invites to speak about his experience. Well, the second thing he was terrified of after the shark attack was public speaking.

READ MORE Which Country Has Won the Most Number of Olympic Medals in Diving?

He couldn’t say no to the opportunity to speak at a cancer camp for kids. Making children laugh and forget they were unwell was an unforgettable experience. He planned to take on more of these tasks and was ready to give speeches whenever the occasion arose. Finally, in 2012, he took the difficult decision to quit the Navy and become a full-time speaker. Gelder’s goal is to develop a greater awareness of sharks by emphasizing their significance and debunking stereotypes about them.

Watch this story “I Have Bills to Pay”: Diving Athlete Turns to OnlyFans for Achieving Olympic Ambitions