If you’re squeamish, stop reading and don’t bother scrolling, because the injuries shown and described in this post are some of the gnarliest ever.
Pro surfer Jamie Mitchell, a renowned world champion who can hang with the best of them, took to Instagram this week and shared video and photos of injuries he said he sustained while surfing in Hawaii.
Mitchell’s Gruesome Injuries
The injuries are horrific. Mitchell, 48, explained that he was enjoying one of his favorite waves when a “freak” accident resulted in bloody injuries to his head, face, and throat.
The bloody mess left him with 18 staples in the back of his head, 15 stitches down his throat, and five in his cheekbone.
Mitchell said that a couple centimeters here, or a couple of inches there, and it could have been a much different story.
He said he’s “stoked” about the fact that he’ll be OK and make a full recovery. He’s experiencing soreness and headaches, but otherwise, well. No infections, either.
What Happened?
Mitchell explained that he was riding a surfboard with quad fins while surfing in Hawaii when he “fell in the pocket of a wave.”
While underwater, the four fins hit him, slamming him on the side of his face. Mitchell said all four fins made a direct impact on the side of his face and neck.
He said he hopes to be back in the water in a few weeks.
Mitchell refutes this was a publicity stunt
The pro surfer, who is a 10-time Molokai 2 Oahu Paddleboard World Champion, denied that this was all a ruse to give his new podcast, Living in Liquid, some publicity.
In fact, he went further than denying it. He laughed it off. In a joint post with his podcast’s official Instagram account, Mitchell quipped that “it takes precision planning, input from the gods, creative genius and masterful execution to pull off a PR stunt like this for the Living In Liquid pod launch day! @jamie_mitcho skating close to death surfing in Hawaii this morning, a fin chop dancing unnervingly shy of his jugular, slicing his face and head for good measure. All just to get your attention and pod ratings! 😬 .”
