Shark bite victim discharged from hospital

BOSTON (WHDH) -- A man bitten by a great white shark off Truro is telling his story of survival. He left Mass. General Hospital Friday with his legs still bandaged.

After hearing firsthand what happened, the fact that he's even alive is incredible. Chris Myers is the first person to be attacked by a shark in Massachusetts since 1936.

Myers waved and smiled just four days after he was attacked by what experts say was -- in all likelihood -- a great white shark.

“I felt a huge bite on my leg. I was quite sure it was a shark. That was my first thought. It felt like my leg was caught in a vise,” said Chris Myers, shark bite victim.

Chris Myers, 50, vacationing on the Cape from Denver, was carried off Ballston Beach in Truro on Monday, bleeding profusely with deep bite punctures in his legs.

He says he and his teenage son were swimming about 400 yards out when it happened.

“I kicked very hard with my free leg -- with my right leg -- and I was able to, or the shark decided I wasn’t tasty or something good happened and he let me go. The shark came up right between us and we could see his whole back, his dorsal fin,” Chris Myers said.

“I think seeing a shark is enough to just get you swimming as fast as you can back to the beach,” said J.J. Myers, Chris’ son.

And that's exactly what they did; headed straight for shore.

“I looked up at one point to see if people on the shore could see -- to realize what was happening and I could see people gathered and pointing at us but nobody came into the water till the very last minute,” Chris Myers said.

Chris Myers was helped by beach goers as soon as he got close to shore. He says he didn't realize there were seals in the area; otherwise he would not have gone out so far.

“You could imagine as a mother. You’re just so thankful they’re alright. That’s the key,” said Chris Myers’ mother, Nancy.

“I just feel very grateful -- very grateful to have my son with me here and my other son right there, and I don’t have any other more profound thoughts than that,” Chris Myers said.

Myers, who is originally from Boston, says he swims at Ballston Beach every year and will stay closer to shore we he visits next.