34 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY June 22-28, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com FACE TO FACE Steve Bruemmer, now 63, was recently retired from supporting online classes at Monterey Peninsula College, and had just developed a new routine. There was one day a week of volunteering at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, a session of math tutoring through his church, and lots of physical activity. He was bike riding with the Velo Club, running with the Wednesday Night Laundry Runners and ocean swimming with the Kelp Krawlers. He went out for a swim at Lovers Point on Wednesday, June 22, 2022 on a warm, still day. Surprisingly, nobody else showed up for a 9:30am swim, so he pulled on his wetsuit and went out alone. On his way back to the beach, just off of the point, he found himself suddenly in the jaws of a great white shark. He describes coming face-to-face with the shark underwater and touching its jaw to urge it away; it swam off, and Bruemmer returned to the surface, where he discovered he was bloody all over. His screams for help were met with a fast response from stand-up paddleboarders Paul Bandy and Aimee Johns, and surf instructor Heath Braddock. The team of rescuers got Bruemmer out of the water within minutes, saving his life. He’d lost a lot of blood, and the bite barely missed his iliac artery. He was treated at the trauma center at Natividad in Salinas, where he received 28 units of blood. One year later, Bruemmer faces a new reality. The bite crushed his femoral nerves, so despite an incredible recovery, he cannot walk unassisted. He’s optimistic about a recent surgery that may help generate nerve recovery, but is meanwhile adapting by doing things like getting a better walker, installing new railings in his Monterey home and driving the golf cart when meeting friends on the course. Weekly: You became somewhat famous for this shark encounter. Do people still ask you about it? Bruemmer: So many people get injured and don’t become news stories; there’s this thing about great white sharks that fascinates and scares people—and I survived, it was a good news story. At first I felt like a minor celebrity; people would recognize me. There is still some recognition, but not every day. I’m pleased, I’m moving on with my life. I have tired of telling strangers what happened. When people say, “How’d you hurt your leg?” I say, “in an accident.” The injury has forced a transformation for you. I had a regular schedule, outdoors in the beauty of Monterey. It was social, it was exercise. That was the structure to my week. I don’t have biking, running or ocean swimming, but I’m living my life again. Maybe I’ll be able to ride a bike again, maybe I’ll be able to walk without fear of falling. I realize at some point I was going to lose this anyway, but probably not for 20 years. I’m really disappointed if this is permanent, but I can live a fabulous life. Did you think about sharks while swimming before this happened? My mantra was, we are not their food. In general, they leave people alone. There are very, very few shark attacks compared to millions of people in the water every day. It’s bad luck. You have been really clear in all of your remarks to talk about the shark scientifically, without blame. People have thanked me for not demonizing the shark. The shark didn’t pick me out personally. This is not fate, it’s not karma—it’s just unlucky. Do you think you’ll ever swim in the ocean again? No. It was too damaging, too terrifying—it was too, too much. It was so powerful. I was too close to dying. In the past year, you’ve really emphasized how others helped you survive; your church, St. Mary’s, has now hosted three blood drives in your honor. My biggest takeaway from this is gratitude. I’m so grateful for the people that rescued me, the systems people put in place to save me and other trauma victims, the blood donors. We know the story of the Good Samaritan, who is anonymous. When I think of the Good Samaritans in this story, they are the taxpayers who put together this system, and the blood donors. I’m grateful we all care for each other like that. The modern-day way to love your neighbor is to pay your taxes and call 911. A Carnegie Hero Award presentation to honor Paul Bandy, Aimee Johns and Heath Braddock happens at noon Saturday, June 24 at Lovers Point in Pacific Grove. Free. BYO picnic lunch; cake will be served. Lease on Life A year after he was bitten by a shark, Steve Bruemmer continues recovering—and feeling grateful. By Sara Rubin Steve Bruemmer outside his New Monterey home, where his wife, Brita Bruemmer, made this patio. His new, high-end walker with pneumatic wheels is designed for more active people who want to traverse uneven terrain. DANIEL DREIFUSS
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