By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Nineteen-year-old surfer dude Daniel True has earned his red badge of courage and he has a rather large shark bite wound on his right foot to prove it. That's no lie.
The New Smyrna Beach teen was bitten on the ankle, heel and big toe areas at 11 a.m. while wading in 4-feet of water with his board.
True was able to get to shore and was treated by a lifeguard before driving himself to Bert Fish Medical Center for stitches to close a bite likely delivered by a 6-foot shark, based on the size of the bite, Volusia County Beach Patrol Capt. Tammy Marris said.
True never saw the shark, but "the bite was unmistakeable," Marris told Headline Surfer.
Like many surfers, he was near the South Jetty where sharks are drawn to bait fish caught up in the curling waves.
In typical surfer fashion, True told reporters he'll be back riding the waves on his board as soon as he gets his stitches removed.
True later chronicled his shark bite misadventure on his Facebook page, writing in part: "Well, just had a swell day! Except for the 6 ft black tip that decided to try to eat my foot this morning!!!"
He added: "With my luck I'll get struck by lightning tomorrow."
In typical surfer fashion,19-year-old Daniel True told reporters he'll be back riding the waves on his board as soon as he gets his stitches removed.
True later chronicled his shark bite misadventure on his Facebook page, writing in part: "Well, just had a swell day! Except for the 6 ft black tip that decided to try to eat my foot this morning!!!"
The teen added: "With my luck I'll get struck by lightning tomorrow."
True's the fourth shark-bite victim so far this year in the Volusia County beach waters.
Henry Frederick is publisher of Headline Surfer, the award-winning 24/7 internet news outlet launched 12 years ago that serves greater Daytona Beach, Sanford & Orlando, Florida via HeadlineSurfer.com. Frederick has amassed more than a hundred journalism industry awards in print & online -- more than all other members of the working press combined in Central Florida since the mid-1990s. He earned his Master of Arts in New Media Journalism with academic honors from Full Sail University in 2019. Having witnessed the execution of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Florida's death chamber and other high profile cases, Frederick has appeared on national crime documentary programs on Discovery ID and Reelz for his investigative reporting and cops & courts breaking news stories.