An 18-year-old surf instructor is recovering in the hospital after a shark bit his foot while he was surfing off New Smyrna Beach on Friday, an area known for frequent shark encounters.
The attack occurred while Sam Hollis, the surf instructor, was in the water with a camper. The shark dragged Hollis by the foot for 10 to 15 feet before he was able to break free. Hollis remains hospitalized after undergoing surgery, but is expected to recover.
“It felt clamped and then it kind of felt hot because of the teeth. And then it just kind of started pulling. It’s almost like, um, a dog with a toy in its mouth going like, you know, like that,” Hollis recalled. “I was kicking at it after I realized it had me in its mouth. I was like, ‘Yeah, get this thing away from me!’”
Hollis said he has been surfing since he was a child and he now teaches surfing in New Smyrna Beach. The city holds the unofficial title of “shark bite capital of the world” due to its history of frequent but typically non-fatal encounters.
Local beach safety officials report this is the fourth shark bite in Volusia County in 2025, raising continued concerns over swimmer and surfer safety during peak summer months.
Details such as the type of shark involved, how quickly emergency services responded, and whether the camper he was with witnessed or was impacted by the incident remain unclear. It’s also unknown how long his recovery will take or if any long-term effects are expected.
Despite the attack, Hollis said he will continue to surf once he recovers.
