Jackass stuntman Sean McInerney, better known as Poopies, returned to brave the waters for Discovery’s Shark Week on Sunday (July 24) night, one year after suffering a terrifying shark bite.
“I thought I was gonna die in front of my friends,” McInerney said in an emotional moment during Sunday’s special, Jackass Shark Week 2.0. “Um, that’s pretty heavy.”
Last year, the Jackass crew performed a dangerous stunt as part of Shark Week that saw McInerney bitten on the hand and wrist. The injury severed multiple tendons, ligaments, and muscles, resulting in numerous surgeries and physical therapy sessions. McInerney still doesn’t have full mobility in his injured hand.
However, despite the traumatic experience, McInerney was determined not to let what happened to him ruin his love for the ocean. “It’s really important for me to get over that fear,” he explained, “because I don’t want that accident to stop me from doing what I love. I love the ocean, and I love surfing. I’m never gonna stop.”
McInerney was joined by his Jackass co-stars Johnny Knoxville, Chris Pontius, Wee Man, Jasper, Dark Shark, and Zach Holmes, who offered support as he returned to the waters to swim with sharks. “Keep your left hand in your pocket,” quipped one of the experts guiding the Jackass crew on their underwater adventure.
While McInerney described the experience as “never-wracking,” he successfully completed his swim with the great ocean predators with all his limbs intact.
“Holy moly, I did it,” he said as he re-emerged from the water. “You definitely have to have respect for those sharks. I feel a lot better. I don’t have fear of dying when I’m next to sharks anymore… now I can go surf and water ski big waves!”
Shark Week 2022, July 24 – July 30, Discovery Channel & discovery+