There has never been a sporting moment like it! Australian surfing legend Mick Fanning attacked by a great white shark during a surfing contest all Captured on live TV for an agonizing nine seconds Mick disappeared from view and the world held its breath. To see who or what would emerge from this life-and-death struggle Since he's returned home Mick Fanning has been reflecting on his Great Escape and as he tells Peter Stepanovic trying to make sense of the nightmares that haunt him Mick's also done what many might think is completely Mad he's gone straight back in the water It's a cool Saturday dawn and Mick Fanning is doing what he's done most of his life Getting ready to go surfing but this time things are different It's been almost a week now so it's like okay it's time to time to get moving again The longer you leave something the worse we'll get What is it that pulls you back? Is it the fear? Um Yeah, there's definitely the fear. I guess it's the fear of the unknown, you know Like you can't see some of that coming. There is a mental hurdle there. I don't think he's but judging by it was like Three Nate a hurdle Right A reassuring hug from his mum Liz and Mick Fanning heads back into the water Mick is a three-time world surfing champion our best of the modern era But this could be the most important surf of his life I Must say I am anxious. Yeah, but also very happy for him that he's Gone in the water so quickly yeah, I didn't expect it really therein lies the determination behind Mick Fanning Absolutely. He's such a strong, man and You know, the motto is never give up and never give in and he hasn't he's just gone straight back in there And I'm so happy for him And It's a beautiful son Prior to a week ago, what were your thoughts on sharks? You know, there are there you know there You're going into their domain you you always worried about on but you never think you always think you're gonna see one but you're not gonna be anywhere near it you have the time to get away and now Sort of the same and just I look over my shoulder a little bit more Let's say what I'm fault on Fanning's first ride drives up in the lip It was Sunday the 19th of July and Mick wasn't looking over his shoulder at anyone or anything while Mick Fanning is up again and talking into the holding the wall at On the curb. He was flying down the line at the famous Jeffrey's Bay surfing contest in the form of his loves wife still has a lot to give and Fanny gets a clean I felt like I was peaking at the right time body was feeling good and And yeah, I was I was really excited you know paintings about to put a big number on the board as his wife starts to stand up on the inside and You weren't to know that you were about to literally fight for your life. Yeah, the beach the beach guy didn't tell me that That wasn't part of the plan. No, I definitely wasn't part of the plan yeah, it's just Yeah, like I was out there waiting for a wife and then sure enough here. It happened Seconds into the final the great white struck So sudden so shocking so real Like the shock just came like my board was sideways and the shark just came like that and It was like right there the main dorsal fin was right there, and I could see the side fin and I could see where it goes from gray to white and That was when I was like oh, oh, yeah. This is this is really really bad So you saw the white of the white pointer? Yeah, definitely And So did the rest of the world these pictures were beamed live to an international audience Including mixed mum Liz at home on the Gold Coast. I Just immediately Felt my heart go BOOM, and I was just stunned. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing and Then when that wave came and we couldn't see him. I Definitely thought he'd gone It's hard to imagine Liz's agony at that moment she'd already lost one son Sean in a car accident 17 years ago My mother's worth a nightmare to lose one son. Did you think? Not again Yes, I definitely did. I thought the universe can't be this cruel For nine agonizing seconds a wave blocks everyone's view of the Only Mick knows what happened behind that wall of water so what people didn't see what when the wave went down is that it came back again and my board was like just where you were and I was like trying to reach for it because I knew if I was on top of my board then so you were off the Board is off the board Yeah, and it it just came straight past and it was like right there and I didn't have to do so I just sort of just don't punch it or whatever and Just punched it in between them the main dorsal fin and the side fin was that instinct it took over Oh, definitely for sure I knew it count and that's when I like when it dragged me away and my leash finally broke. I Started swimming like I was swimming back to shore Mick powers for the shore, but then realizes there is no way he can outswim a shark so decides to turn and Confront his attacker I was like, hang on if you just keep swimming that way then It can just come from behind. You won't even see it. So that's when I turned around I was like Well if I can see my fate So I've got at least that much time to make a decision on what to do And and I was just trying to get as high as I could in the water Hell alone did you feel right at that point Oh, so it was like that's yeah, this is Maori at noon pretty much But help was on its way The water safety was charging towards me And so to his good mate and opponent Julian Wilson With respect to Julia most people would like to think that You would do what he did swim towards mate in danger if the roles were reversed Do you think you would have done the same thing? no, I Hope I would for sure He always you always talk about these stories you talk about you You'll be the heroic one and and all these sort of things But you don't know until you're in that moment and you have no idea, you know I would like to think that I'll go after him for sure Mick was rescued without a scratch. No one out on the water could believe it See some teeth. He gets up to you. I just saw a fin I didn't feel he had a couple punches in I punched her in the back Soon the euphoria of survival gave way to shock and raw emotion Somehow perfectly fine when he saw the impact on the faces of his friends on the shore And they had tears in their eyes, that's when I kicked it That's when I was like, oh, wow that set you hear that set me off and I was I was done What did you do that evening did you? Sink a few beers have a big dinner. What did you do? cooked a big Barbie and drunk a lot of beers and pretty much heard like a celebration dinner, you know Like a friend of mine was like I was like awake but you're still here, you know It's certain you were celebrating a lot. And he was really, you know, then it never tasted so good Mick flew back to Australia with his mates But couldn't wait to get back to his family It seems to me that well it's obvious actually that you two were very close and does an event like this Reinforce that reinforce that closeness. Yeah And it also makes me think of the years we've had without Shaun and How we really stuck together during that time and how beautiful it's been only the one thing about our family now Especially me is that I'm much more anxious. How nice was the reunion Nick back here? Normally I don't do the long extended hugs But I was happy to take that one for sure. Yeah, it was pretty long He's a really good hugger. You know, he really does he puts his head on my shoulder and really I feel it I feel like a mother and It's beautiful. I love his hoax. I always feel very close to him The other great constant in Mick's life is the ocean It's been his playground and his sanctuary since he was four but right now going surfing isn't as straightforward as it once was I Guess when something like this happens you're in your own mind and your mind can play tricks on your mind can Turn shadows into demons or stuff like that And then you sort of have like different self doubts and like why do I get away with that? Like have you had nightmares? You have heard darkness? Yeah, are you getting help? Um, yeah, I'm gonna say kill help for sure. I think it's the only way to deal with it And as unbelievable as it might seem on his very first surf since the attack Mick sees a fin and races back to shore I'm sitting in there and then we so looked and we just saw a tiny little fin Yeah, I swear to God As a pawn shop guy You've beaten off one shock. Maybe you can beat up another one In these waters, it's really like them. There it is Straight out. I just saw it directly straight out Sharks aren't the only dangers surfers must contend with? There's also waves like this Choa poo in Tahiti is justifiably regarded as the heaviest wave on the planet And it's where Mik is heading for the next stop on the world tour Do you feel like you're ready to compete not Right today, but give me a couple of weeks. Yeah for sure You know, it's it's one of those things where you've just you got to get back on the horse, you know Things happen all the time and it's the way you react to them that sort of defines on what they actually mean and Yeah, I'm going on I'm going to chirps And you know, I'm sure I'll be fired up that Always really frightens me. I'll never go to Teahupoo and sit in that channel. I would wanted to Do you think he'll get his fourth title this year? Yes and How would that one stack up to the three prior? This will be the best and he deserves it. How proud of me are you? What can I say? He's a beautiful boy? He's one of the most beautiful human beings and that's what I love about him He's just a beautiful man. And that's why I love him so much. He's an absolute credit and I'm very proud of that Thank you Hello, I'm Liz Hayes thanks for watching to keep up with the latest from 60 minutes, Australia Make sure you subscribe to our Channel You can also download the 9 now app for full episodes another exclusive 60 minutes content
