A fisherman from Hawaii is recounting his harrowing ordeal after a life-threatening encounter in the ocean forced him to rely on instincts he never imagined he would need.
The diver, aged 22, recalls how what began as a typical day at sea quickly turned perilous when he stumbled upon a shark entangled in a fishing net—a discovery that proved to be a pivotal moment.
Josiah Kaimani Ventura, who works as a commercial fisherman, shared with Fox News Digital that he was diving within a cave in search of a rare fish species. Upon resurfacing, he spotted the shark ensnared in the netting.
“Everyone in Hawaii wants to help—it’s our kuleana,” he explained, referencing the cultural obligation to protect the ocean. “That’s all I was aiming to do.”
Stranded on the beach alone, Ventura recounted to Fox News Digital how he ingeniously fashioned a tourniquet from his wetsuit, a quick-thinking move that ultimately saved his life.
However, as he approached the creature, the shark managed to break free unexpectedly.
“It just launched out and latched onto my thigh,” he said. “No warning. One second it was calm, the next it had me.”
The force of the bite sent shockwaves through his leg. Even as blood rushed into the water around him, Kaimani Ventura refused to look at the wound.
Doctors closed Ventura’s wound with 70 staples and 90 stitches after the attack. (Josiah Kaimani Ventura)
“I’m a queasy person,” he said. “If I looked, I knew I’d black out. The only thing in my mind was: Get to shore and breathe.”
He swam nearly 40 yards toward the shallows, pushing through what he describes as “clouds of blood” spreading around him. When he finally reached water shallow enough to stand, he risked a glance at his leg.
“I saw everything inside it,” he said. “That should’ve been the moment I passed out and died.”
Instead, adrenaline and what he credits as divine intervention kept him moving.
Alone on the shoreline, with his friends still far behind, Kaimani Ventura forced himself up the beach and began performing lifesaving measures on his own. He tore fabric from his wetsuit, applied double compression to the wound, and then tightened his own tourniquet.
“Thank God He kept my mind clear,” he said. “I shouldn’t have been able to do any of that.”
Josiah Kaimani Ventura shows the scars left after surviving a shark attack. (Josiah Kaimani Ventura)
Rather than call 911, the first person he phoned was his mother.
“I knew I had to hear her voice,” he said. “She freaked out at first, and I had to hang up. When I called back, she pulled herself together like moms do. She helped keep me calm.”
It took nearly 20 minutes before an ambulance was called and another 45 minutes of off-roading before Josiah could meet first responders on a main road.
Paramedics removed his makeshift tourniquet and applied their own before rushing him to Kona Community Hospital, where surgeons closed the massive bite with 70 staples and 90 stitches.
The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) confirmed to Fox News Digital that they are aware of the incident and are looking into it.
Even after surviving a shark attack that could easily have been fatal, Kaimani Ventura said his respect for the ocean hasn’t changed and neither has his lifestyle.
Fisherman Josiah Kaimani Ventura said he’ll return to the ocean once he is healed, despite the near-fatal encounter. (Josiah Kaimani Ventura)
“I personally didn’t learn my lesson,” he said with a laugh. “I’ll always be in the water. That’s who I am.”
But he does have a message for others.
“For anyone at home — don’t do what I did,” he said. “If you see an injured or tangled animal, especially an apex predator, document it and report it. Let NOAA or wildlife officers handle it.”
Kaimani Ventura works four physically demanding jobs: commercial fishing, construction, landscaping and caregiving, all roles he won’t be able to return to for at least six months. Still, he considers himself fortunate.
“Glory to God — I walked away with a scar and a reminder, not as a casualty,” he said. “I got lucky. Really lucky. Others might not. So if my story helps someone make the safer call, that’s worth it.”
Despite everything, he’s already looking ahead.
“I’ll be back in action like nothing happened,” he said. “The ocean is my home. I’m not done with it yet.”
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
