Paul Degelder

APC Prosthetics has designed a new surfing arm for Navy Diver Paul Degelder. Below is a recent article from the Daily Telegraph on Paul who was taking his new Surfing Arm for a test ride.

Shark attack victim Paul de Gelder is still an able seaman

Article from: By David Barrett
May 13, 2009 12:00am

PADDLING through the waves, Paul de Gelder was a man determined to recover and live his life.

Just three months ago the naval diver lay in hospital fighting for his life after a savage attack by a bull shark.

Yesterday he was back in their territory, taking his first surf since cheating death during a naval diving exercise in Sydney Harbour. Emerging from the water at North Bondi, he told The Daily Telegraph he felt good about being back in the water.
"Mate, I've been falling off my surfboard," he said.
"It was beautiful and warm out there. I'll be coming back for sure."
Mr de Gelder spent about 15 minutes lying down on his board, catching waves and taking a dip.

On the beach he did some push-ups and stood gazing out at the water.
He said he had moved from Rozelle to the beach prior to the February 11 shark attack in order to be closer to the surf.

"Surfing was a big part of my life before the attack," he said. "So I really wanted to get back out there again."

Mr de Gelder's right hand was torn off by the shark and days later surgeons had to amputate his right leg below the knee.

He was mauled while testing the navy's counter-terrorism equipment with his team off the RAN base at Garden Island.

In an interview with 60 Minutes, Mr de Gelder said he had stared "eye-to-eye" with the shark that attacked him for up to four seconds.

He described the attack as "like getting hit in the leg with a plank of wood".
"You don't even feel the teeth go in," he said. "I think the adrenaline, the panic, probably puts a numb on the pain and you don't feel it."

Mr de Gelder recently swam with the sharks at Manly's Oceanworld Aquarium as a first step to conquering his fear.

"I'm very glad to be back in the water," he said. "It's . . . where I feel most comfortable of all, even with these big sharks around.