Greg Wilfert, a 71-year-old lifeguard and park manager with 55 years of experience at Scarborough Beach in Maine, survived a terrifying encounter with a great white shark this past weekend. While swimming near the buoys with colleagues, Wilfert felt something drag him five to six feet under the water. He initially assumed his rescue can had snagged on a passing boat but quickly realized the reality of the situation when the resistance did not stop.
He managed to release the strap from his rescue device and swim back to shore. Despite the shock of the incident, he immediately resumed his responsibilities, clearing the beach of visitors and ordering a one-hour closure. He described his swift swim to the surface as a burst of speed that might have even surpassed Olympic athlete Michael Phelps.
Following the attack, beach authorities have deployed jet skis and drones to monitor the waters for further shark activity. Wilfert remains focused on public safety and intends to avoid swimming near the buoys for the foreseeable future. He emphasized that people should take these threats seriously, especially at unguarded beaches where predator presence is known. His long career in beach safety has given him a grounded perspective on the dangers present in the ocean.