Surfer saved by pod of dolphins

Police tape surrounds a Northern California beach after a shark attacks a surfer. The monster's teeth left a huge gash on the surfboard.

Todd Endris lost half his blood in the attack. His torso and leg are badly scarred, the result of seven hundred stitches to sew him up. Endris says the blow from the shark knocked him out of the water.

Endris recalls the terrifying attack, saying, "The first time he hit me he couldn't fit me in his mouth." He says the shark, which he estimated to be 18 feet long, was traveling at a speed of 20 to 25 MPH. He believes the shark mistook him for a sea lion. Endris says the shark took his entire leg into its mouth. Quickly he began to lose consciousness.

Then incredibly, a pod of dolphins surrounded him, distracting the killer shark. Endris tells INSIDE EDITION, "(the dolphins) formed a wall between me and the shark and that gave me just enough time and I started to swim in."

The dolphins blocking maneuver gave fellow surfer Joe Jansen just enough time to help pull Endris onto shore.

Jansen tells INSIDE EDITION, "it was horrific...just a massive gash, the full nine yards. It was about the worst thing I've ever seen in person."

Endris is thankfully that Jansen was there to help, calling him "the most heroic guy I know."

Now, the wounds have healed and Endris is in therapy, rebuilding his torn muscles. He's thankful the shark didn't kill him.

Story published by insideedition.com