The family of musician Andre de Ruyter have revealed he is on the road to recovery three weeks after he was attacked by a shark on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
The 27-year-old was pulled from the water unconscious by fellow surfers after the attack at North Steyne Beach in Manly about 6.20pm on January 19.
De Ruyter was treated at the scene for lacerations to his leg before being rushed to Royal North Shore Hospital in a critical condition.
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His sister Alysha, who performs with him as part of a brother-sister live music duo, said he is “healing exceptionally” in a social media post.
“We’re incredibly grateful to say that Andre is officially a shark attack survivor,” she wrote.
“He’s just been able to come off his breathing tube and is healing exceptionally.
“The doctors are seeing more positive signs towards his recovery, however (they) say we have a long journey ahead.”
The Manly Observer reported de Ruyter has had one leg amputated below the knee.
Alysha has since set up a GoFundMe page to help Andre “recover his quality of life”.
De Ruyter was one of four people involved in shark incidents over a 48-hour period in January.
The first victim, 12-year-old Nico Antic, died after being attacked at Vaucluse on January 18.
He was rushed to hospital in a critical condition with severe leg injuries.
Antic’s parents announced his death on January 24, remembering him as “a happy, friendly, and sporty young boy with the most kind and generous spirit”.
Just hours after Antic was attacked, an 11-year-old narrowly escaped injury when a shark took a large chunk out of his surfboard at Dee Why Point the next morning.
A fourth incident occurred on January 20, when 39-year-old surfer Paul Zvirzdinas was reportedly bitten by an “animal” while in the water at Point Plomer Beach, south of Crescent Head.
He managed to drive himself to Kempsey District Hospital and has since been discharged.
After the spate of incidents, an extra $4.2 million was added to NSW beach safety programs, including shark tagging and monitoring, and the installation of listening stations in the harbour.
Drone patrols will be extended to seven days a week through to the end of the April school holidays, covering 30 more beaches in Sydney and along the NSW coast.
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