But would anyone be willing to risk their life to save someone from a shark? That's what a man in Australia did.
In Port Macquarie's Shelley Beach, a man was declared a hero when he repeatedly punched a shark to save his wife and managed to free his leg from the fish's mouth.
According to local police, the incident took place on Saturday morning and the shark bit the surfing woman twice and injured her right leg.
"The husband rained flies on the fish until he freed his wife from the shark's grip," police said.
A 35-year-old woman named Cantelli Doyle was taken to hospital for surgery and is said to be in stable condition.
A nearby surfer called the husband a hero who competed against a Great White Shark about 3 meters long.
"He lay on the fish because he wasn't leaving the woman. He saved his wife's life. She's a really great person," he said.
"I just did what anyone else did at the time," said Mark Ripley, the woman's husband.
According to local media, Mark Ripley jumped on the shark from his surfboard when he refused to let go of the woman.
After the jump, Mark started fishing and rescued his wife and took her to shore.
Mark Ripley said he wasn't sure where the shark should be killed, so he punched him several times, including in the eye, to save his wife's life.
"I felt like I was punching a brick wall," he said.
The beach was closed for 24 hours after the incident.
Last month, a 10-year-old boy was pulled from a boat off the coast of Tasmania, Australia, by a shark, but his father jumped into the water and rescued him.
