Two San Diego County residents who helped save a man who was attacked by a shark in the waters off Del Mar will be awarded the Carnegie Medal, which recognizes civilians who perform acts of heroism, it was announced Monday.
Kevin Barrett, a 51-year-old financial advisor from San Diego, and Cameron Whiting, 31, a real-estate company vice president who lives in Encinitas, are credited with guiding a wounded swimmer to shore after the man was bitten by a juvenile great white shark on June 2.
The victim, 46-year-old Caleb Adams, was among more than a dozen people taking part in an open-water swim when he was bitten by the nine-foot shark. Adams sustained lacerations to his chest, leg, and hand, but was able to punch the shark and fight it off.
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After the attack, Barrett and Whiting swam over to Adams and provided aid.
According to the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, Barrett pulled Adams on top of him and began backstroking toward the shore. Barrett and Whiting then placed Adams onto a nearby surfer's surfboard and Whiting pushed the board toward the shore.
Once on land, the men helped Adams onto the back of a lifeguard truck.
Adams lost a third of his blood, underwent emergency surgery and was hospitalized for three days, but has since recovered, according to the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.
"It was a strong hit to my body. I didn't feel more of a pain or a crushing, but I knew I had been hit by a shark," Adams later said in an exclusive interview that aired on "TODAY." "I tussled with the animal for what was seconds."
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"It came back toward me again, and I used my hands to fend off the animal, positioning my hands on the mouth or nose. It felt kind of like holding a basketball, and then striking it twice with my right hand. The first time landing somewhere on the body, and the second time in the mouth,” Adams said.
Adams said the escape was made possible by friends in the area.
“When I was swimming him in, the blood was just pouring out of his chest, and we really just needed to get him onshore as quickly as possible,” Barrett, Adams' friend, said.
Barrett and Whiting are among 18 people to be awarded the Carnegie Medal, in what is the Hero Fund's third round of award announcements this year.
