An Australian man sprang into action to save a stranger's life after he realized she was being attacked by a shark. Now, his bravery is being praised for the daring action.
Honestly, my hat's off to him. There's very few people I know who would just jump into the water and risk a shark bite themselves. Some wouldn't even do that for family. And here we have someone jumping in to save a complete stranger. Blake Donaldson was soaking in some sun with his partner when he realized someone needed his aid.
He and his partner were among the only people at Gunyah Beach in Bundeena. That's when he heard 57-year-old Mangyon "Mani" Zhang screaming from the water. A bull shark was in the middle of mauling her. It had bit down on her right leg and wasn't keen on letting go. That moment catapulted Donaldson into the book of heroes. But he let his instincts take control.
"I just [had] to jump in," he told Australia's "60 Minutes." "The fight-or-flight kicks in, and I just made the decision. Sure there could be a shark but my reaction was, 'I just have to save this woman.'"
Attacked By A Shark
"I wasn't thinking about the shark, I wasn't thinking about my own safety — I just can't watch this woman drown," he added. "Either you watch someone drown or you go out and help them. A couple of seconds could mean someone's life."
Thankfully, Donaldson didn't hesitate. He managed to bring Zhang to shore and away from the shark. That's when his partner, Ellen Melchert, started performing life saving measures on the woman. Zhang suffered a 15-inch wound and lost a large amount of blood. The blood lost caused her to lose consciousness.
She woke up only haver the surgeons saved her life.
"You saved my life. Words ... cannot express ... how thankful I am," she said of her hero. He quite literally saved her from a shark and death.
Donaldson said, "They say, 'You're a hero.' I don't think about it, but then it sort of does hit you and makes you realize you did save someone."
