Shark Attack Leads to Cancer Discovery, Saves Man’s Life

Sharks are some of the most misunderstood creatures in the world. Sure, they are the perfect predator, but at the end of the day they are animals, like dogs and cats, just minding their own business. In the case of Eugene Finney, a shark not minding its own business turned out to be life-changing.

Finney, his two children, and his girlfriend were at Huntington Beach in California. While swimming, he suddenly felt a jarring force, one that struck him from behind so hard it gave him “instant whiplash.” It was a shark, but one that ended up saving Finney’s life.

He struggled to return to shore, his back wounded. Then, on the way back home to Massachusetts, the true pain started. When the pain in his chest and back got unbearable, he decided to go to St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Brighton. It was there that he discovered the shark attack was a blessing in disguise.

Check out Finney’s story:

The shark did cause Finney some interior bruising in his thoracic cavity, but without the attack, doctors would have never discovered the tumor growing on his right kidney.

“If this didn’t happen with the shark, causing me to go in with this chest pain, I would have never known about this cancer,” Finney said to CBS Boston.

Using minimally invasive robotic surgery, doctors at St. Elizabeth were able to remove the tumor from Finney’s kidney two weeks ago. He will not need radiation or any kind of chemo treatment.

“I feel fortunate. I really feel like I’ve gotten a second chance at life and I’m not going to blow it,” Finney said.

Did this shark somehow sense the tumor growing inside Eugene Finney’s body, and gave him a shove as if to say “Dude, get to a hospital now!” Unlikely, but makes for an amazing story.