In short:
The rescuer who helped save the victim of a shark attack in Geraldton has returned to the beach for the first time.
asserted
who → save → time
Shannan Dunn did not hesitate to paddle to the aid of Mel Ismail after the 56-year-old firefighter was bitten by a shark on Monday.
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firefighter → hesitate → Monday
Mr Dunn says he has spoken to Mr Ismail's family and hopes to reunite with him when he's recovered from his injuries.
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he → say → injuries
A man who responded to a shocking shark attack on Western Australia's Midwest coast says he is struggling to forget the sight of the blood.
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he → respond → blood
Having surfed at Glenfield Beach in Geraldton for more than 20 years, Shannan Dunn had eagerly run up a steep sand dune to check the conditions on Monday morning.
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Dunn → surf → morning
He snapped a picture of the swell with another surfer, Mel Ismail, in the distance before running back to his car to put on his wetsuit.
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He → snap → wetsuit
Moments later, Mr Ismail was bitten by a shark.
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Ismail → bite → shark
"His board was about 5 metres away, and he had his arm up," Mr Dunn said.
"
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Dunn → have → arm
Then it only took a couple of seconds and I saw the blood all around him."
asserted
I → take → him
Mr Dunn raced into the water and swam out in Mr Ismail's direction.
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Dunn → race → direction
"I don't think I really hesitated; I just wanted to get to him as quick as I could," he said.
uncertain
he → think → him
He said, 'Shark — it's got my leg', and I decided I wasn't going to look at it."
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I → say → it
Assessing the damage
Mr Dunn said he "clumsily" paddled Mr Ismail to the beach, where a bystander made a makeshift tourniquet from a leg rope while another called Triple Zero (000).
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another → assess → Zero
"He had lost his foot from just above his ankle," Mr Dunn said.
"
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Dunn → lose → ankle
He … looked like he could fade out at any moment.
"
uncertain
he → look → moment
We didn't know how much blood he had lost."
Mr Dunn brought his four-wheel drive onto the beach and, along with some teenagers and the other bystanders, got Mr Ismail into the back to meet the paramedics.
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Dunn → know → paramedics
"We just gunned it down the beach,"he said.
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We → gun → beach,"he
The 56-year-old firefighter was rushed to the Geraldton Health Campus with serious injuries, where he remains in a stable condition.
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he → rush → condition
A St John WA spokesperson said the first aid administered by those at the scene was "exceptional" and helped paramedics to rapidly transfer Mr Ismail to hospital.
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paramedics → say → hospital
"St John WA pays tribute to the quick thinking and skills of those on scene," they said.
"
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they → pay → scene
It was a credit to all who responded."
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who → respond → all
Drawn to water
Mr Dunn returned to the scene of the frantic rescue on Thursday, three days on from the attack.
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Dunn → draw → attack
"When I look out to where the sets are and stuff, I can still envision the blood," he said.
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he → look → blood
"I'm still thinking about it at night as well, like, that's probably the worst part about it."
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that → think → it
Despite the trauma, Mr Dunn plans to get back in the water sooner rather than later.
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Dunn → plan → water
"I've given myself a week …
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I → give → week
if the conditions are right and there are enough people in the water, I'll probably give it a crack," he said.
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he → be → crack
"I don't think I'll be able to keep away from it for too long."
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I → think → it
Glenfield Beach reopened on Wednesday morning, and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) confirmed it had stopped patrolling the area.
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it → reopen → area
A DPIRD spokesperson said DNA from the damaged board and Mr Ismail's wetsuit was still being analysed to determine the species "most likely" behind the attack.
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DNA → say → attack
Mr Dunn said Mr Ismail's family told him he was recovering well in hospital.
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he → say → hospital
"It's looking very promising, I'd say, at this stage," Mr Dunn said.
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Dunn → look → stage
"You've always got to touch a bit of wood, though."
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You → get → wood
Mr Dunn hoped he could reunite with Mr Ismail soon.
uncertain
he → hop → Ismail
"Hopefully I don't bring back any bad memories from that day," Mr Dunn said.
"
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Dunn → bring → day
I'm hoping that he will be stoked to see us, as I'm just as stoked to see him, to be honest.
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I → hop → him
"I literally can't wait for that day, but it's only when he's ready."
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he → wait → day
The Aporia
