The 61-year-old man who lost his leg in a shark attack last Friday while surfing at Maui’s Waiehu Beach Park was discharged from the hospital on Thursday, according to a GoFundMe update.
After Kenji Nonaka’s right leg was severed below his knee by a shark, his friends and regular surf buddies helped him to shore. Next, first responders applied two tourniquets to control bleeding and transported him to Maui Memorial Medical Center in critical condition.
“While this was a horrific accident, Kenji is still the brightest beacon of light and hope, and is super motivated to begin the rehab and recovery process to get back into the ocean he loves,” the GoFundMe page said.
Nonaka surfed every morning at Sandpiles, the surf break where he was attacked, or at Pakuz, a nearby surf break at Paukukalo Beach, for over 30 years.
The GoFundMe page raised over $94,000 as of Friday afternoon.
Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.