‘I fought off Great White shark after chilling warning from daughter’ | Weird | News
A Bolton father fought off a 1.2m Great White shark before the predator sank its jaws into his hand and foot.
His daughter’s worst nightmare came true as Chris Murra, 54, attempted to complete a 20-mile open water swimming challenge in Los Angeles’ Catalina Canal.
Before Chris left for the trip, his 23-year-old daughter Eleanor gave him a card that said “don’t get eaten by a shark,” according to the BBC.
Swimming in pitch darkness, Chris couldn’t see the shark, but he could feel it. The young man, who set out with a group in the early hours of the morning, felt the teeth in his hand while passing through the water.
The Great White reportedly ripped a piece of meat from his hand in the first attack Mirror.
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Chris was swimming in the dark (Image: Chris Murray)
The father said: “I remember screaming ‘oops’ because it hurt, and then I remember struggling with it a little bit and [the support crew] “He must be thinking, he’s moaning a little bit about the jellyfish sting or something.”
Then the shark came back and clamped its foot. He said: “Then it seemed like it was tugged a bit and all I could think of was to kick it with my other foot.”
Then the shark came back once again. When the support ship shined its light on the shark, Chris was horrified to see that the creature had returned.
Great White bit his hand (Image: Chris Murray)
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Recalling the ship shining its light, he said: “That illuminated all of the water and then the shark was coming back for its dessert.”
The lawyer described how he managed to fend off the creature before boarding the boat. But the shark was not deterred and continued to circle him.
Chris said: “At that point someone in the crew said ‘get to number seven, get out’ and I had to climb the ladder.
“I don’t think he almost died. I just think there were some bites on my foot and hand.”
The incident on December 30, 2025 resulted in serious injuries to Chris, who was immediately taken to hospital.
Chris explained: “I was treated in the support boat and taken to shore by the Los Angeles Fire Department and transported to hospital. Swimming was abandoned. Stitches and glue.”
Bolton father ‘prevented’ trauma (Image: Chris Murray)
His family were stunned when they received a call from coach Tim Denyer, who delivered the news, reassuring Chris that he was fine.
Despite the harrowing experience, Chris remained steadfast in his passion for open water swimming and planned to “prevent” the incident.
“The chances of that happening are very low. I think it’s one in 11 million. So I wouldn’t want to put anyone off swimming in the sea,” he said. He said people often ask him about it because “they have a natural fear of deep water and what’s in it.”
