Atlantic Beach teen bitten by shark excited to get back in water

ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. — A 15-year-old from Atlantic Beach who was bitten by a shark on Saturday said he can't wait to get back in the water.

Kelton Beardall has been surfing for the last four years, but what happened while he was practicing at New Smyrna Beach on Saturday was a first.

Beardall said his board came out from underneath him as he practiced a move, and he landed on a shark.

He said when the shark nipped him, he thought he stepped on a shell.

"Three seconds after it bit me the first time, it bit me again and I knew it was a shark then because it hurt so bad," Beardall said.

He said he managed to get close to shore but couldn't walk because of the gash on the back of his right ankle near his tendon.

He flagged down a stranger on the beach for help.

"He put me on his back and carried me to the beach," he said. "Shout out to that guy, he helped me so much."

His mother Eve said she briefly saw the man but didn't have time to get his name.

"To the guy who showed up out of nowhere and ran him up to us, dropped him off and waved and left, thank you," she said.

She said she tried to stop the bleeding before emergency crews arrived.

The bite was a quarter of an inch from Kelton's tendon, which would have kept him from surfing for a year, his mom said.

Beardall said he only has to wait two months to get back on his board, and he can't wait.

"The odds are really small to get bit again," said Beardall.

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