Surfer who lost leg in Great White attack slams news outlets as “grubs” for posting leaked footage of ordeal

“Ain’t f#king leaving this joint just yet”

If you know, you know, as the saying goes and the video footage of Kai Mckenzie being chased and attacked by a Great White bigger than you might’ve thought possible is the sorta loop that’ll stay in your mind forever. 

The footage of the attack, from Kai’s filmer, was provided, we believe, to local authorities as part of their investigation where it was subsequently leaked.

In late July, a week when fifteen tagged Great Whites were tracked around Port Macquarie, Rage team rider Kai McKenzie joined a rapidly growing group of surfers from around those parts whose lives have been irrevocably changed by the sharp spike in Great White activity.

Last year, Toby Beggs lost his right leg, and part of his left, in a wild, multi-pronged attack where he was dragged underwater twice by a twelve-foot Great White.

In 2020, thirty-five-year-old surfer Chantelle Doyle was hit by a ten-foot White at Shelly Beach, Port Mac. Her husband jumped off his board, climbed on the shark and beat hell out of it, saving her life.

Kai Mckenzie, who is twenty-three, was hit by the Great White while surfing a breakwall, or jetty if you prefer, in Port Mac, yeah, same joint the one-time title contender Mick Campbell was from. 

Kai belted the shark even after it took off his right leg, made it to shore alive, but barely, where an off-duty copy ripped off his dog’s lead to fashion a tourniquet thereby saving the kid’s life.

His leg was miraculously washed ashore shortly after the attack where it was packed on ice, chucked on the car ferry that takes you back across the Hastings River and rushed, complete with cop escort to Port Macquarie Base Hozzy in the, as it turned out misplaced, hope it could be reattached. 

Kai’s recovery has been closely followed and documented by a who’s who of Australian surfing including Noa Deane and Toby Cregan, as well as superstars like Bakersfield film and baby maker Dane Reynolds and Maui’s celeb shark attack survivor Bethany Hamilton.

In his latest post, upbeat and defiant as always, Kai Mckenzie has taken aim at news outlets, which for once don’t include this one, that posted leaked footage of the attack. 

“Ain’t fucking leaving this joint just yet ps you news grubs stop posting my shit,” he writes.

A chorus of approval, rightly, followed:

“Goddamn iconic photo ur fuckin gnar,” writes Dane Reynolds.

“Up ya” Noa Deane.

Bethany Hamilton: Let’s gooo!

Craig Anderson: Weapon ❤️

 

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