The species remains unidentified as doctors assess whether the serious foot injury could affect Jacorey High’s ability to work.
DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Fla. — A Georgia visitor faces an estimated three-month recovery after undergoing surgery for a serious foot injury suffered in a presumed shark bite along Florida’s Volusia County coast.
Jacorey High, of Henry County, was injured Saturday evening while swimming in shallow water with his pregnant fiancée. He said an animal bit his left leg and foot before approaching him again as he tried to leave the water. High reached shore and was taken to a hospital for surgery.
The exact species has not been identified, leaving a central detail of the encounter unresolved. High described the animal as gray and roughly extending from the length of his leg to his waist. Officials had not announced an independent species determination as of Monday.
High said he first concentrated on getting his fiancée out of the water. He then pushed the animal away when it returned and moved toward his arm and other leg. His fiancée was not reported injured.
After reaching shore, High noticed substantial bleeding from his foot. He said the pain became more apparent at the hospital after medical workers began treating him. Surgeons later operated on the injury, which doctors described to him as extensive.
High said his main concern is whether the damage will interfere with his ability to return to work. A three-month recovery estimate provides a general timeline, but the long-term condition of his foot has not been determined publicly.
Officials and news reports described the incident as a presumed shark bite near Daytona Beach Shores. Reports differed on High’s age, identifying him as either 21 or 22. No detailed incident report resolving that discrepancy was publicly available Monday.
The Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File recorded 65 confirmed unprovoked shark bites worldwide in 2025. That total was close to the five-year average of 61 and below the most recent 10-year average of 72.
Those figures provide context but do not determine how High’s encounter will ultimately be classified. Researchers review the circumstances of each report and separate confirmed unprovoked bites from provoked incidents, boating encounters, doubtful cases and injuries caused by other marine animals.
High remained hospitalized after surgery as doctors evaluated his injury. Authorities had not identified the shark species, and no public timeline had been given for his discharge or return to work.
Author note: Last updated July 27, 2026.