Surfer Kai McKenzie, 23, fitted with new prosthetic leg after shark attack at North Shore Beach on Mid-North Coast
Just a few months on from a frenzied shark attack at a remote beach, surfer Kai McKenzie has already taken a major move towards surfing again.
Regional News
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It seems Mid-North Coast shark attack survivor Kai McKenzie was not exaggerating when he pledged to return to the water with a vengeance and “f--k sh-t up with a prosthetic”.
Just a few months on from the terrifying mauling which cost him a leg at North Shore Beach, just north of Port Macquarie, the 23-year-old Bonny Hills surfer is already practising his moves.
In a video uploaded to Instagram on Sunday, McKenzie – sporting a newly fitted prosthetic leg and in rehab – is seen trying pop ups as if on a surfboard.
McKenzie, who has a number of major sponsors under his belt, spent more than one month in hospital after his right leg was torn off above the knee by the 3m white shark on July 23.
His life was saved by an off-duty police officer, who used a dog leash to stem severe blood loss before McKenzie was rushed to hospital.
McKenzie’s leg washed up onshore an hour later and was packed with ice, but it could not be reattached.
Last month, McKenzie opened up about his ordeal to Stab Surfing Magazine and he described the situation as a “s--t show.”
“I don’t want to be associated with this forever. I don’t want it to become my whole identity,” he told the publication.
In the interview, he vowed to return to the water before the end of the year and said: “I’m going to f--k sh-t up with a prosthetic.”
Got a news tip? Email sam.stolz@news.com.au
Originally published as Surfer Kai McKenzie, 23, fitted with new prosthetic leg after shark attack at North Shore Beach on Mid-North Coast
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