DESPITE being attacked by a shark while on vacation in Tobago, British national Peter Smith says he would return to the island where people took great care of both him and his family during the ordeal.
Smith, 64, was the victim of a rare bull shark attack on April 26 that left him in critical condition with injuries to his leg and stomach.
In a short video posted on the Facebook page of the Office of the Chief Secretary (OCS) on Thursday, Smith, who spoke to Tobago officials at the recently concluded World Travel Market in London, praised the medical care and the kindness he received.
He had been vacationing with a group of 16 people in Trinidad’s sister isle and it was on the last day of the holiday, while in shallow water at Courland Bay, that the shark attacked him. Smith was rushed to the Scarborough General Hospital.
“I have to thank all of the doctors and the nurses in the Tobago hospital who really saved my life. I’d also have to thank all of the people because the people were really kind to my family whilst they were there. I couldn’t do anything but they looked after my family really, really well,” Smith said.
“They couldn’t have taken any better care of me and my family. And I’d have to say, I really do like Tobago, despite what happened. I thought it was a beautiful place with really nice people. And would I go back again? Yeah, I’d go back.”
After initially receiving medical care in Tobago, Smith was flown by air ambulance to a hospital in Miami where he spent another five weeks.
Before the attack, though, he said he had thoroughly enjoyed the island, playing golf, swimming, and fishing.
“I loved the island. I loved the people, I had a great experience,” Smith said. (CMC)
