Christchurch surfing legend saved by friends and beachside defibrillator

Christchurch surf legend Tony Shafer had a near death experience at Scarborough Beach, Sumner. Photo / George Heard

Tony Shafer is counting his luck after suffering a cardiac arrest while surfing and being pulled from the water by mates who used a newly installed beachside defibrillator to save his life.

Growing up in Christchurch’s Sumner beach, 54-year-old Shafer’s a ‘local legend’. He’s won multiple surf competitions including the 2000 National Māori Championships.

Surf School owner Aaron Lock wasn’t surprised he was out on May 3. He believed it was the best swell they’d had all year.

Once Shafer got out there though, there’s little he recalls.

“I remember being at the bottom of the sand and thinking, what am I doing here?” he said.

Tony Shafer is thankful for those who helped save his life. Photo / George Heard

He’d suffered a cardiac arrest at Scarborough Beach, Sumner. Spotted by friends and members of the surf school, they retrieved him from the water, performed CPR and started using the AED (Automated External Defibrillator) within five minutes.

There’s a critical 3-5 minutes after unconsciousness where defibrillators are most effective. Every minute after that reduces the chance of survival.

Until this year, there was no defibrillator at the surf school.

“It totally saved my life. We surf a lot of remote beaches and if we’d been there… it’d be a totally different story,” Shafer said.

The defibrillator is thanks to a local community group ‘The Scarborough Dippers’. What started out as a dare to dip in the ocean every day has also become an annual fundraising event. Last year, Lock approached the group for help in purchasing a defibrillator.

Aaron Lock, left, and surf school tutors. Photo / Supplied

Founding member Sandra Taylor had no idea it would come into use as soon as it did.

“It makes all the cold water dipping certainly worthwhile...it’s not always easy every morning in July through all weathers - but to hear that it’s saved somebody’s life is pretty cool,” Taylor said.

Shafer’s now out of hospital and resting at home.

Aside from feeling like he’s “been kicked by a horse”, he’s making a fast recovery. He’ll be back on the water in six weeks.