Joe Hoffman shark bite: Mornington Peninsula dad Jacques Grimaux recalls rescue efforts

A Mornington Peninsula dad who helped save the life of Sunshine Coast surfer Joe Hoffman described the shark bite victim as an “absolute trooper”.

Mornington Peninsula lifesaver Jacques Grimaux was one of the first on scene who helped carry Joe Hoffman off the beach at Crescent Head after he was bitten by a 3m great white shark while surfing on the afternoon of Monday, July 5.

A Mornington Peninsula dad who helped carry stricken Sunshine Coast surfer Joe Hoffman off the beach after he was bitten by a 3m great white shark has recalled the chaos at Crescent Head.

Jacques Grimaux was holidaying with his wife and two children at the nearby caravan park when a spot of afternoon fishing turned into a dramatic life and death situation on Monday.

About 4.30pm Sunshine Coast surfer Joe Hoffman, 25, was bitten by a 3m great white shark as he dived under a wave.

Mr Grimaux had been fishing at the river mouth when he saw another surfer waving his arms frantically a few hundred metres down the beach.

Mr Grimaux took off towards the group, where he found an extremely pale Joe with major injuries to his forearm and upper arm.

Mr Grimaux said quick-thinking bystanders had got Joe onto a surfboard as a makeshift stretcher and a schoolteacher he knew as “Glenn” was “wrenching on the tourniquet” which had been fashioned from a leg rope.

They began carrying Joe up the beach and Mr Grimaux said he started talking to the popular young surfer about footy of all things.

He said Joe told him about his cousin, former Storm star Ryan Hoffman and the pair marvelled at the career of Cameron Smith.

“He was so white,” Mr Grimaux said.

Joe Hoffman in action on the waves.

Off-duty paramedics directed the rescuers where to carry Joe to position him close to the incoming ambulance.

He said they slid him onto a picnic bench where holidaying trauma specialists from John Hunter Hospital had also joined the efforts to save Joe’s life.

“The stars aligned … not in terms of the attack, but after it he was so lucky,” Mr Grimaux said.

He said bystanders wrapped Joe in blankets and beanies, while the holidaying specialists rang ahead to John Hunter Hospital and were able to give specific instructions of what was needed to treat him when the rescue helicopter arrived.

Mr Grimaux was full of praise for the teacher manning the tourniquet and how Joe handled the situation.

“He didn’t make a noise, he wasn’t complaining, he was just an absolute trooper,” Mr Grimaux said.

“That teacher in there saved his life (by applying the tourniquet).

“We gave him every chance we could.”

Joe’s dad Bill earlier this week thanked all who had come to Joe’s aide as well as Kempsey police and medical staff at John Hunter Hospital.

Joe had undergone several surgeries since Monday and it was understood he still faced several more.

Family and friends had raised almost $50,000 since Wednesday to help with Joe’s recovery.

Coast surfer Joe Hoffman was bitten by a 3m great white shark at Crescent Head on Monday afternoon.

Mr Grimaux, general manager of E and S, a kitchen, bathroom and laundry supply firm, said he was stunned after getting Joe to the beach to see a full line-up of surfers still in the water.

He estimated it would’ve been 15 minutes since Joe had been hit by the shark that he noticed surfers still in the water.

Running on adrenaline he said he bolted to the nearby surf lifesaving club and started screaming to get surfers out of the water.

He said hundreds of people began waving their arms and screaming trying to catch the attention of surfers in the water, while others honked horns in cars.

His wife found a megaphone and Mr Grimaux used that too, eventually getting the attention of surfers who then realised they may have been in danger.

“Everyone started paddling like Trevor Hendy in an Ironman series,” Mr Grimaux said.

“It was pretty full-on.”

He said he thought the surf lifesaving club should’ve been equipped with some sort of formal shark notification system or public alarm.

“What’s the system to actually notify the local surf lifesaving, if there is one, that there’s a big shark in the water?” he said.

Mr Grimaux said he hoped the community and others would get behind a push to have a proper shark alarm system installed at Crescent Head Surf Lifesaving Club, given how popular the stretch of beach was year-round.

Mr Grimaux said Joe’s recovery was top priority and he wished the young surfer all the best.

Originally published as Joe Hoffman shark bite: Mornington Peninsula dad Jacques Grimaux recalls rescue efforts