A horrific shark attack at Udu in Vanua Levu forced doctors at the Labasa Hospital to remove the victim's left forearm, after most of it was bitten off during the attack on Monday.
Metereti Jeke, 30, survived the ordeal and says he will not fear the sea, as he lay in bed at the Labasa Hospital.
They were the only words the father of two uttered as he fought back tears.
Metereti has depended on the sea to feed his family.
His emotional mother Talica Vakasawaqa sat by his bedside yesterday and spoke about the chain of events that led to her son losing part of his arm. Mrs Vakasawaqa and her husband left their home at Nukudamu Village in a boat to pick Metereti, an uncle and a nephew for a diving trip on Monday morning. "After picking them up we went straight to the reef just opposite our village," Mrs Vakasawaqa said.
"It is a popular spot because we easily catch fish there. It was around 4pm when we decided to end the trip but Metereti decided to make one last dive.
"I went in with him and after a few minutes, I heard screams and people calling my name. I knew something had gone wrong. I threw my catch back into the water and hurried back to the boat."
The sight of her son shocked her.
"His left forearm had been ripped with the flesh dangling from the bone. He had two pieces of cloth tied above the bite but the blood kept oozing out."
The victim's father then tied a rope to prevent further blood loss and immediately took Metereti to Nabouono Health Centre.
The nurses there wrapped a bandage around the injury and referred him to the Lagi Medical Centre where he arrived around 6.30pm. After receiving minor treatment from the nurses, he was transferred to Labasa Hospital. Mrs Vakasawaqa said they left Lagi, which is about 90 kilometres away from Labasa Town, at about 11pm and reached Labasa at about 1.30am on Tuesday. It was a nightmare, Mrs Vakasawaqa said.
"My son was in a lot of pain and we feared losing him, but thanks to the ambulance driver who transported us so fast to Labasa. He had lost a lot of blood and my family and I have God and the doctors at the hospital to thank for saving his life."
She described Metereti as a hardworking man.
"When he regained consciousness, he smiled at me and told me not to cry. He knew he had lost his arm and said he would do his best to earn for his family with his right hand."
Mrs Vakasawaqa said they were aware of the presence of sharks in the waters near the village, however, the only shark attack she could recall was one she said happened 20 years ago.
Senior fisheries officer Northern Gerald Billings said shark attacks were uncommon in the north and he has warned people to take extra care while out to sea.
"Sharks are very territorial in nature and they become vicious if their territory is interfered with. The best advice for people is to be very careful and not to dive in waters which they are unsure of because it can lead to life threatening incidents," Mr Billings said.