David Muir had everyone in tears as he dedicated an emotional segment on ABC World News Tonight to a heartbreaking story, which left fans sending their love and prayers
David Muir anchoring ABC World News Tonight(Image: ABCNews/Instagram)
Friday’s instalment of ABC World News Tonight left everyone in tears.
David Muir was fronting the long-running ABC show before he gears up to take his weekly break over the weekend. Near the end of the program, the 52-year-old announced, “To the index of other news, we hear from the surfer attacked by that shark in Northern California. James Eastman, suffering bites to both legs off the coast of Mendocino.”
James then spoke in an interview from his hospital bed, explaining, “I just started kind of pushing it and batting it on the nose, trying to free myself from it, and then eventually it let go.”
“Eastman saying, he was able to stay on a surfboard and make it back to shore. He says the entire time he was thinking of his wife and his child,” David said before concluding the segment, with a sweet message from ABC, “We’re glad he’s okay.”
The bittersweet segment was shared on ABC World News Tonight’s Instagram, with the caption, “A surfer is recovering after suffering shark bites on both legs while in the waters off the coast of Mendocino, California.
“James Eastman detailed his attack, saying that he was able to stay on his surfboard and make it back to shore. @DavidMuirABC reports,” it added.
Fans were quick to weigh in on the heart-wrenching story, with one user saying, “You can feel his pain in this interview. He still looks like he is in shock. Let this be a warning for others. Thank you Sir for your bravery. Glad your northern lights brought you to safety.”
A second person added, “Happy he’s safe and can be with his wife and child. I understand that people love to surf but there’s always a risk because your home is on land and the ocean belongs to all the sea creatures. Be safe out there.”
“He is lucky he was able to get away from the shark,” another pointed out, prompting a fourth to chime in, “Wishing him a speedy and full recovery!”
James Eastman survived a shark attack(Image: ABC NEWS)
Elsewhere, a fifth person wrote, “Trust me … IF it was an adult Great White – he’d be toast,” and a sixth shared their well wishes, “I wish you, sir, a prompt recovery and a long life with your family.”
James was in the water at Big River Beach inside Mendocino Headlands State Park just after 5 pm Wednesday, March 18, when the attack occurred, according to California State Parks.
The 39-year-old told ABC News he was going for a quick surf before picking up his nine-month-old from day care. “I could see the shark’s head kind of above the water,” he recalled. “I thought of my wife and my kid and I was just like, I cannot die. I can’t die right now.”
Thankfully, James managed to get away and stay on his surfboard, then paddle back to shore, where three off-duty lifeguards raced to help him.
The father of one sustained injuries to both legs and was taken by ambulance to Adventist Hospital in Fort Bragg, where his wife Chloe works as an emergency room nurse.
