Hawaii fisherman survives shark attack, performs own lifesaving care

A Hawaii fisherman is speaking out after a shocking encounter in the water left him fighting for his life — and relying on instincts he never expected to use.

The 22-year-old diver says what began as a routine day in the ocean suddenly took a violent turn when he discovered a shark tangled in a fishing net — a moment he describes as the split second that changed everything.

Josiah Kaimani Ventura, a commercial fisherman, told Fox News Digital he was diving inside a cave for a rare fish species when he surfaced and noticed the shark struggling in the netting. 

“Everyone in Hawaii wants to help — it’s our kuleana,” he said, referring to the cultural responsibility to care for the ocean. “That’s all I was trying to do.”

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But as he moved closer, the shark jolted free.

“It just launched out and latched onto my thigh,” he said. “No warning. One second it was calm, the next it had me.”

The force of the bite sent shockwaves through his leg. Even as blood rushed into the water around him, Kaimani Ventura refused to look at the wound.

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“I’m a queasy person,” he said. “If I looked, I knew I’d black out. The only thing in my mind was: Get to shore and breathe.”

He swam nearly 40 yards toward the shallows, pushing through what he describes as “clouds of blood” spreading around him. When he finally reached water shallow enough to stand, he risked a glance at his leg.

“I saw everything inside it,” he said. “That should’ve been the moment I passed out and died.”

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Instead, adrenaline and what he credits as divine intervention kept him moving.

Alone on the shoreline, with his friends still far behind, Kaimani Ventura forced himself up the beach and began performing lifesaving measures on his own. He tore fabric from his wetsuit, applied double compression to the wound, and then tightened his own tourniquet.

“Thank God He kept my mind clear,” he said. “I shouldn’t have been able to do any of that.”

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Rather than call 911, the first person he phoned was his mother.

“I knew I had to hear her voice,” he said. “She freaked out at first, and I had to hang up. When I called back, she pulled herself together like moms do. She helped keep me calm.”

It took nearly 20 minutes before an ambulance was called and another 45 minutes of off-roading before Josiah could meet first responders on a main road.

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Paramedics removed his makeshift tourniquet and applied their own before rushing him to Kona Community Hospital, where surgeons closed the massive bite with 70 staples and 90 stitches.

The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) confirmed to Fox News Digital that they are aware of the incident and are looking into it.

Even after surviving a shark attack that could easily have been fatal, Kaimani Ventura said his respect for the ocean hasn’t changed and neither has his lifestyle.

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“I personally didn’t learn my lesson,” he said with a laugh. “I’ll always be in the water. That’s who I am.”

But he does have a message for others.

“For anyone at home — don’t do what I did,” he said. “If you see an injured or tangled animal, especially an apex predator, document it and report it. Let NOAA or wildlife officers handle it.”

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Kaimani Ventura works four physically demanding jobs: commercial fishing, construction, landscaping and caregiving, all roles he won’t be able to return to for at least six months. Still, he considers himself fortunate.

“Glory to God — I walked away with a scar and a reminder, not as a casualty,” he said. “I got lucky. Really lucky. Others might not. So if my story helps someone make the safer call, that’s worth it.”

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Despite everything, he’s already looking ahead.

“I’ll be back in action like nothing happened,” he said. “The ocean is my home. I’m not done with it yet.”

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to [email protected].