And Bethany Hamilton writes, "Above the knee amputation is next level challenging so what Kai is doing right here is absolutely next level!"
Under a big yellow grapefruit sun on one of those perfect North Coast winter’s days back in 2024, the up-and-coming pro surfer Kai McKenzie was attacked by a Great White shark.
That grim footage has been, mostly, suppressed but not the wild details from the Great White hit. Kai was surfing a breakwall in Port Macquarie when the 10-footer grabbed his leg.
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.
The leg was 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 hope it could be reattached.
Fast forward to January this year and Kai was back in hozzy after his stump got infected, a pretty common affair in cases involving traumatic amputations like shark attacks, where wounds get contaminated. Shark bites are rife for infection ’cause shark mouths are full of bacteria, including the dreaded staph, plus sand, debris and so on.
Marine bacteria, real bad, and can lead to aggressive infections like necrotising fasciitis – flesh eaters!
“Fuck, back to the begging, my amputation got infected they have cut into it, awaiting next surgery, be a couple months out,” Kai wrote. “Pretty crazy how it can go so good for so long now back to the start. Just another step to get past.”
But lest Kai’s myriad fans mighta thought he’d lost his wild gallows humour, he quickly added in a subsequent post, “LOL beginning. I’m high on hospital drugs.”
Kai’s daddy Grant summed up the character of his son real good.
You have been through so much in the past 18 months mate. 19 surgeries, 2 1/2 months in hospital all the challenges that come with being both an amputee and a survivor of a shark attack. Not many fathers are lucky enough to class their children as their hero’s. I am one of them. Love ya mate. Your family will always have your back. 2026 is time to send it!!!!!!
One month later and Kai Mckenzie is back scalping waves with one real leg, the other a bolted-on carbon prosthesis.
“I lost my leg but I didn’t lose surfing,” he writes, adding the hashtag #abovethekneeamputee.
Impressive, yeah?
Imagine you were placed in a similar position. Do you think you’d return to the ocean and then be able to passably surf?
Or would you thrown into an existential spin? Sobbing fits, screaming at the ceiling etc.
I’m positive my chips would be on the latter response.
Your comments are still here. Every one of them.
Twelve years of BeachGrit comments came across from Disqus. Connect and we will show you how many are yours. We get your username, nothing else.
Connect Disqus to reveal.
All he asks is that you come with an open mind, open heart and most importantly….open wallet.
Bethany Hamilton is so fucking stupid I don’t even trust her judgment regarding amputees
The guy’s a legend.
One he gets that prossy dialed in he’ll be shredding so hard.
Being able to accept reality for the way things are today, appreciating what you do have, and trying to make the best of it in spite of it all really is the way to go through life. It’s just really hard to do it day in and day out.
Is there something about shark attacks that give it’s victims an appreciation of life that you don’t get from other injuries?
I’ve wondered what the surfing ability would be on someone like him after losing a limb. Obviously ripping before, at what % will he be able to get back to? Mike Coots is another one, though he’s more about barrel riding than performance.
Just way different than learning to surf already missing part of your leg, where if you’ve never reached those higher levels it’s more difficult to process getting there.
I would be interested in seeing him surf with a shorter back leg, but I’d guess that’s probably the correct size and a lack of back leg flex is just an inherent problem with being above the knee.
Fabien Bujon from Reunion, not a name many will know, but was one of the best out at St Leu before losing a leg at the knee ( as well as a hand) after being attacked there in 2012. He got back out there and it took him a while but he’s still ripping today. Not to his previous standards obviously but you watch him from the shore and you wouldn’t think he was surfing with a prosthetic.
Watching Pam Bondi have “blood coming out of her wherever” right know on AP feed. Great to see Kai ripping. A needed break from the bullshit coming from Ilsa: She Wolf of the S.S..
Hey Mate…Check your email. I know how you feel about corporate motivational wankers but its clear that you need some help. That is why I have gifted you one free month of Koa Smith’s “The way of the Surfer.” I know I didn’t have to and don’t worry about the money… I actually got the program for free by providing 10 friends emails who might be interested. They are a little pissed now but will get over it. It was worth it. Look forward to hearing about your journey and progress!
I’m here to comment in support of this universally inspirational story that is directly relating to the act of wave riding!
I’m repeatedly clinking on this story from every device in our house.
That was cool to watch.
Humans 1 – sharks 0
Fucking legend. Here’s to keeping a positive outlook in fucked up situations.
If I was cynical, I’d say it looks like Beth is trying to maintain relevance in a rapidly growing and highly marketable surf amputee demographic. But I’m not.
Good thing I’m not cynical either you fucking cunt.
Xox
🤣
I’m literally sobbing onto both my legs at what a fucking loser I am compared to this bloke
He is keeping us in “check”. See that smile he was giving off post session, whoa! I got a young adult struggling that doesn’t smile much, super hard to watch go down.. Heaven and Hell is right here folks.
What a leg end !
(gotta get him and Chas in a surf off, pool or ocean, definitely going all in on Kai, at any odds…)
I see fighter jets flying over as you speak
Gawd bless unMerica
Fuck yeah, cunt almost surfs as good as me!
Xox
crazy story.
legend.
This kid’s Clutch Kick band is some solid early 90s throwback alt rock stuff. Worth a listen.
Grtty af, Kai. Awesome.
On ya, matey !
What a legend!