Professional surfer Brett Connellan, 22, survived being mauled Wednesday by a shark off Australia's east coast but was in serious condition in Sydney, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
A fellow surfer some 50 yards away is credited with saving Connellan's life by paddling furiously to his friend after hearing "a terrible scream" and seeing the shark thrashing violently off a South Coast beach.
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Joel Trist described Thursday morning his exchange when he paddled up to the seriously injured surfer: "I actually lost sight of him at one stage as a wave was breaking over him I paddled up to him, and obviously I knew what had happened, and I said to him: 'What's it like?