American surfer bitten by shark in Bali to be sent to Raffles Hospital in S’pore
SINGAPORE — An American surfer whose arm was bitten by a shark in Bali earlier this week will be transported to Raffles Hospital in Singapore on Friday (April 29) afternoon for treatment.
SINGAPORE — An American surfer whose arm was bitten by a shark in Bali earlier this week will be transported to Raffles Hospital in Singapore on Friday (April 29) afternoon for treatment.
At the hospital, Mr Ryan Boarman, who is in his 20s, will be re-evaluated see if he needs further surgeries. He will be met by his father. A GoFundMe page set up to raise funds for Mr Boarman’s medical bills said his family wanted to send him to see doctors in Singapore “in hopes that he will be able to regain full use of his arm in the future”,
Once he is stable, he will then be transferred to a hospital in San Diego.
News outlet, NBC 7, quoted Mr Boarman’s brother-in-law, Mr Kevin Cradic, saying the surfer is in a stable condition but still in a lot of pain and not well enough to travel back to San Diego.
Mr Boarman had been attacked by a shark, estimated to be about 2m long, while surfing. The shark bit through Mr Boarman’s right arm near the elbow, tearing through muscle and reaching the bone.
Despite the blood loss, Mr Boarman managed to ride a wave back to shore, and was rushed to a local hospital in Tabanan, Bali where he went through emergency surgery to save his arm. Media reports quoted Dr Ni Gusti Ayu Made Sri Pujarini, who initially treated Mr Boarman, saying that the wounds were consistent with shark bite injuries and teeth marks could be seen. Mr Boarman was later transferred to a bigger hospital in the Balinese capital Denpasar.
Australian Twiggy Van Ryan who helped dress Mr Boarman’s wound before he was taken to hospital said Mr Boarman’s “whole elbow had gone into the shark’s mouth and then was pretty badly damaged as the shark pulled back”.
As of Friday 12pm, US$20,726 (S$27,868) of the targeted US$35,000 has been raised on the GoFundMe page, set up by loved ones. WITH AGENCIES