This guy punched a shark in the face to save his wife

When people make a vow to protect their loved ones no matter what, nobody assumes they’re going to be literally in the face of life-threatening danger. But we just heard that a husband punched a shark who attacked his wife while they were snorkeling at Ascension Island in the South Atlantic. PUNCHED A SHARK!

Here’s how it went down: The shark bit Frankie Gonsalves on her foot, and her hubby Dean punched the enormous creature and let Frankie swim to shore while he fended off the animal (they were only ten meters from the beach). Luckily, Frankie was able to get to a small hospital to have her injuries treated, and Dean was able to get to safety as well.

"I have been speaking to her on the phone at the hospital," Frankie's father Irving Benjamin told The Telegraph. "She is in good spirits."

This scary situation could have easily turned into something fatal had it not been for the way Dean handled it so fearlessly. Punching a shark is no small thing! It makes the hair stand up on the back of our necks to even picture it.

via giphy

We hope that Frankie makes a full recovery from her foot and leg injuries, and that she continues her love of snorkeling and exploring the ocean.

These instances are rare, and although beyond terrifying — they needn’t put anyone off venturing into the water (aka, don’t let this one random event ruin your summer vacay!).

It’s a good rule of thumb to keep safety warnings in mind and always swim with a partner. Apart from the safety aspect, it’s just more fun to have a (hopefully totally badass) buddy around.