After being attacked by two great whites, there is an expectation that little would scare Bunbury paralympian Sean Pollard.

But even he admits he was nervous before marrying the woman who was with him during that terrifying ordeal and who helped him cope with the aftermath.

It could all have been very different. In October 2014, Claire Oakford was with Sean on a beach near Esperance as he nearly bled to death after being mauled while surfing.

Sean has credited Claire with helping to save his life in the chaotic moments after the attack with her quick actions and calm demeanour.

“She helped with critical first aid when I first got out of the water,” he said in a previous interview. “When I was in the back of the car on the way to hospital she was just comforting me and making sure I stayed awake.”

That day cost Sean both his arms, but more than four years later he has put a ring on Claire’s finger and now calls her his wife.

The Pollards were married on December 29 at BP Beach in Bunbury, a spot well known to the ocean-loving pair.

Their marriage followed a momentous 2018, in which Sean, 27, competed at his first Paralympic Games on a snowboard in Pyeongchang in South Korea and the pair were engaged.

The former surfer turned to snowboarding after a trip with friends to Mt Buller in Victoria in September 2015.

After quickly learning to snowboard, he went to Canada on a three-week trip where by chance he met the Canadian parasnowboard coach, who encouraged Sean to take up the sport.

Claire, 33, said there had been some difficult times. Sean was attacked by the shark a little over a year after they had been together, but she knew early on he was the man she wanted to marry.

“For the first couple of years after Esperance, we did a lot privately,” she said. “Because of what happened, we mainly do things with just close friends and family. The last couple of years have been easier and the wedding topped it off.”

Sean is a private person and is known to keep his emotions in check, but even he admits the wedding got the better of him.

“I was a bit nervous at the start of the day,” he said. “We have been through a fair bit together, so it was good to make it official.”

Sean Pollard lost both his arms in the horrific attack. Source:South Western Times

Sean needed almost 150 stitches and metal staples to close the wounds before the recovery process could begin.

He spent five weeks in hospital before returning home where he had occupational therapy while learning how to live life using a split hook prosthetic and continued extensive physiotherapy so his legs could make a full recovery.

Claire said her work as a teacher was useful when she needed to be there for Sean — just as she was that day on the beach.

The couple are planning a trip to Sweden this year and Sean will return to the world snowboarding circuit.

Originally published as Shark survivor’s great white wedding