Phil Mummert was in the middle of a perfect day of surfing at Bunker Bay, one of his regular spots in western Australia, until he was suddenly knocked off his board. When he surfaced, his board was broken, his leg was bleeding, and there was a great white shark charging at him. 

Using only his bare hands, feet and what was left of his surfboard, Phil fought for his life. But he knew he wouldn’t last long against a 16-foot shark. That’s when three more surfers arrived to help. 

Thanks to them, Phil survived, kept his leg, and is still surfing. 

We also speak with shark scientist Melissa Cristina Márquez to understand the risks around sharks and what you should be aware of when sharing the water with them.

For more about the series, check out https://www.onstar.com/podcast.