“I don’t know how to say it, but I need surfing for my life,” claimed a 61-year-old Maui man, hardly a week after facing a brutal shark attack. On November 1, Kenji Nonaka came into the sight of a shark while sitting on his board at Sandpiles in Waiehu Beach Park. Per the local witness, the veteran did nothing to make his presence known to the shark. But his luck didn’t favor him that day. Despite surfing the Hawaiian waters for almost 40 years, Nonaka found himself peerless on that fateful day. The shark bit his right leg, leaving almost nothing below the knee. But the beast failed to harm his idea of turquoise water, ocean, and life. Afterwards, the Maui veteran had to go through the levels of medical process. 

He was moved to Maui Memorial Medical Center, from ICU to PCU, and then to the general facility. Through all those days, Kenji Nonaka kept his love unharmed. He had to return to surfing and had to pierce the waves. After all, it has been his happy place since his early days. But was he able to return to the water? 60 days have already passed since that day. What is the update? 

The surfing community plays a huge role in bringing light 

On January 5, Khon2 News shared an update regarding Kenji Nonaka’s health update. The news confirmed Nonaka’s return to the ocean. Eight weeks after getting exposed to the near-death experience, the 61-year-old surfing expert found his way to surfing again. How did this miracle happen, though? In mid-November, everything was against his quick recovery, except his confidence. But only confidence might not bring him to the water again. Then? A wholesome help from the surfing community helped the individual to stand on his feet again. 

As per the update, the community arranged a fundraising program for Kenji right after the incident occurred. Since then, the program has collected $106,950, quite a bit more than its target of $100K. The amount has been readily used in Kenji’s treatment and subsequent recovery process. On the concerned page of the GoFundMe website, the organizers once displayed hope of seeing Kenji rightly fit into his prosthetic leg and start surfing again. Recently, regaining his health, he caught some waves on his belly and even visited the area where he had been attacked in November. He attempted to surf in those waters again. Did it scare him? “It’s still, sometimes a little bit, I scared, but I’m okay, because the ocean is their property. I love them, too, still I love, I scared, but I love them,” Kenji told Khon2 News. His words also confirm that he will continue surfing in the upcoming days. But wasn’t that something expected from someone like him? 

The confidence has been the soul-saver 

In the same interaction with Khon2 News, Kenji Nonaka said that he had earned permission from the doctors in mid-November. “December 19, doctor said, you can go swimming or something, then, okay, next day, I went to swimming pool, oh, then so good, the water is so good,” he laid out in front of the camera. The surfer went to Kahului Harbor to taste the small waves the next day. He surely didn’t disappoint himself. “I cannot wait, I want surfing, then, next day, 21, I went to small place, then I catch the wave, oh, so happy,” Nonaka claimed with a big smile on his face. Confidence and determination like these had been present in him on November 1 as well. 

The witnesses claimed that Kenji Nonaka didn’t wait for help after getting bitten by the shark. He jumped into the water to reach the shore as fast as possible. Midway, several surfers spotted him and took him to the shore. Neither did he lose his sense, nor did he panic. All along, he kept himself settled. With over 40 years of surfing experience, certain things might have been new to him. But he knew how to exit the situation. Now, here he is, on the brink of starting a fresh journey of surfing on the waves!