At 17, Mick Fanning chose to walk instead of ride, it saved his life
Mick Fanning's brother Sean died in a car crash Mick had chosen not to ride in when he was 17; years later he survived a shark attack.
Mick Fanning was 17 when his brother Sean, 20, died in a car crash on the Gold Coast. Mick had been invited to ride along but decided to walk home instead.
Police and friends found Mick still walking when they stopped to tell him Sean was gone. "Sean jumped in the car and I walked, and that was the difference in fate," Fanning told 60 Minutes.
As the first to hear the news, he felt it was his burden to tell his family. Years later, a great white shark attacked him at a competition in South Africa.
Fanning punched the shark and escaped. He has since lost two other brothers: Peter died in his sleep from an enlarged heart, and Edward died from an infection after a foot injury.
- 17 years old
- Age at crash
- 3.5-metre great white shark
- Shark size
- Three titles won in 2007, 2009 and 2013
- World titles
Why it mattersFanning's openness about trauma and survival shows how people process grief and build resilience after life-changing losses.
AustraliaThe story gives Australian fans insight into the private struggles of one of the country's greatest athletes and his journey through personal tragedy.
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