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Aussie man's arm nearly severed in horror beach accident: 'Pouring blood'

Matthew Cassidy feared he would bleed to death on the beach at Byron Bay.

A Byron Bay surfer says he very nearly lost his arm and bled out on the beach after a nasty collision with another surfer.

Matthew Cassidy was in knee-deep water at Wategos Beach last Wednesday when a young woman “dropped in” on him “without a functioning leg rope”, sending her board smashing into his arm.

Straight away the 49-year-old, who’d been surfing nearly all of his life, knew something was wrong.

“I pulled back my wetsuit sleeve and half my bicep dropped out,” he told 7 News. “It was pouring blood, squirting blood everywhere within seconds.”

Beach goers helping to save Matthew Cassidy.
Matthew Cassidy said without those on the beach who held him together he would have 'bled out in five minutes'. Source: Facebook/Matthew Cassidy

Calling over a nearby surfer for help, Matthew asked him to take the leg rope off him and use it as a tourniquet around his arm.

As they made it back to shore, beachgoers sprang into action calling Triple-0 and bringing out towels to cover the wound while Matthew fought for life.

“I thought if I passed out I’d die,” he said while explaining that he kept screaming in agony but also to keep adrenaline coursing through him to stay awake.

Paramedics with Matthew Cassidy on a stretcher (left) and paramedics preparing to put Matthew into the helicopter (right).
Paramedics rushed the 49-year-old Byron Bay surfer to a waiting helicopter that took him to the Gold Coast Hospital. Source: Facebook/Matthew Cassidy

Surfer hoped to catch ‘last glimpse’ of wife’s face

It was an hour's wait before paramedics arrived during which Matthew says some “absolutely legendary humans” held him together and kept tourniquets in place.

In the meantime, a friend helped to track down Matthew’s wife who was there by his side for the worst of it.

“Bleeding out on a beach while trying to catch a last glimpse of your wife’s face is not something I wish on anyone,” the surfer said on Facebook.

Once an ambulance arrived, Matthew was rushed to a helicopter and then airlifted to the Gold Coast Hospital where doctors managed to save his life.

“I am at home now and they’ve managed to save the arm,” he wrote. “We aren’t sure of the extent of the injury long term but I’ll attack rehab the same way I do everything else. With everything I’ve got.”

Matthew surfer (left) and with his wife and dog.
Matthew said that 'bleeding out on a beach while trying to catch a last glimpse of your wife’s face' is not something he would wish on anyone. Source: Facebook/Matthew Cassidy

Message to surfers to always wear their leg rope

Expressing that it was an “emotional time”, Matt added that he has “no bad will” towards the young woman involved in “this horrible accident”.

“I saw your face on the beach and I have no doubt you have learned a lesson,” he said. “You have my total forgiveness and compassion as long as you practise safe surf etiquette for the rest of your surfing life.”

He’s now urging for the “surf safety conversation” to continue and is calling for better education and management in the surf. He pleaded with people to always have a leg rope while surfing and to be sure no one is on the inside when taking off.

“People [must] look on the inside twice before even paddling for a wave,” he wrote. “Kids look both ways before they even step onto a road to cross it, the surf should be no different.”

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