Not only are shark attacks far less deadly to humans than many people might think, on at least one recent occasion, that was actually the key to saving a life.
Eugene Finnely was on a beach vacation in California with his family over the summer when he had an experience that changed his outlook forever. While out enjoying a swim in the ocean, he was suddenly rammed in the back by a shark who had apparently mistaken him for an easy meal.
After scrambling back to shore, it seemed the encounter had left him with just a scratch on his back. Later on, however, he felt strong pain in his chest that ultimately prompted him to get checked out by a doctor. That's about the time he discovered the injuries from the shark were the least of his concerns, as CBS Boston reports:
Strange as it might sound, Finnely credits his run-in with that fearful predator with alerting him to the real life-threatening danger, telling the news station:
"If this didn't happen with the shark, causing me to go in with this chest pain, I would have never known about this cancer."
