Surf Cat

“HE was losing blood rapidly. He looked into the eyes of his friend, and told him he loved him.

“He knew at that point, today is his day. Then he prayed.”

Six years on, Kevin Young is moved to tears recalling the day his son Zac was killed by a tiger shark north of Coffs Harbour.

On November 30, 2013, the 19-year-old from Port Macquarie was bodyboarding with three friends at Riecks Point off Sapphire Beach when the shark attacked him, biting his legs.

“His bottom half was brutally mauled. He fought with the shark before it let him go,” Mr Young said.

Zac’s friends, who were also in the water, tried to save him as he bled profusely. It was a brave act that would have them awarded medals from the Governor-General.

“He didn’t scream, he wasn’t afraid,” Mr Young said.

“He knew he was going to die.”

It was almost 30 minutes later, when they had paddled back to shore, that Zac died from massive blood loss.

With a sense of nostalgia, Mr Young said the two had become confidants and had travelled the world together just weeks before Zac’s death.

“One day he was reluctant to talk. I asked him what was wrong. He said, ‘Dad, I’m not planning on getting married anymore … I don’t think I’m going to have a long life. If I have to leave early, that would be hard for my wife’,” he said.

“Ten weeks later he died and I had to come back to that statement – what do I do with that?

“It’s just one example that showed his heart. He had the ability to respect and love people in a way that is rare to see. He was teaching me, rather than me teaching him.”

‘Don’t avoid the conversation’

Mr Young is still haunted by his son’s death, but does not suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or any other mental illness, something those who have been attacked, as well as their loved ones, can fall victim to.

Instead, he has become vice-president of the not-for-profit support group Bite Club.

It is the only shark attack support group in the world and was founded by Port Macquarie man and victim Dave Pearson, in 2012.

“It originated as just being focused on shark attack victims, but we just got so many calls from hippopotamus, to crocodile, to lion attack victims,” Mr Young said.

“There are now 300 people connected to our world.”

About a year ago the Bite Club did a specialty study on PTSD in shark attack victims.

“None of us are formally trained in counselling. But in my perspective, the greatest lesson learned from the study is that it is important for an affected person to receive support as quick as possible,” he said.

“Let them speak and don’t avoid the conversation – encouraging them to speak is the first stage in preventing them from shutting down and isolating themselves.

“Be sensitive and ask questions. It is critical for a person’s wellbeing.”

The Bite Club and Red Cross have joined forces to promote the importance of blood donation.

Mr Young, who donates blood every two weeks said just like in the situation with Zac, blood loss is often what kills attack victims.

He and Bite Club members appeared in the TV series Giving Life to encourage people to donate.

“My son couldn’t get blood in time. I won’t meet the people I donate blood to and that’s OK, because I know that I’ve done something worthwhile,” he said.

Today Mr Young, an experienced surfer, has no hesitation when getting into the ocean. In fact, all his nine children are surfers.

“I love surfing with all my heart. I love marine life, including sharks. I’m not a shark-hater. I think they’ve got a purpose in this whole world we live in,” he said.

“I’m OK with my son’s story and that world.

“I’ll see Zac again one day, I’m sure.”