Borja Garcia Sousa has spoken out for the first time after he lost a leg in a shark attack earlier this month
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The 31-year-old was celebrating his honeymoon with wife Ana in the Maldives when the shark bit his leg, requiring an amputation
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He described the ordeal as "probably the cruelest and most brutal episode" of their lives together
A man who lost his leg in a shark attack on his honeymoon in the Maldives is speaking publicly about the "brutal" accident for the first time.
Borja Garcia Sousa, from the Spanish city of Alicante, and his new wife, Ana, were celebrating their marriage in the Maldives on April 11 when he was bitten by a shark.
It's thought the newlyweds were part of a group excursion in the water off the island of Kooddoo when the shark attacked the 31-year-old.
A member of Ana's family, who had flown out to support her,told theDaily Mail, "With one bite, the shark took all the flesh from the knee down off her husband's leg."
Garcia Sousa, a gynecologist and semi-professional soccer player, was airlifted to a hospital in Malé, the capital, but doctors weren't able to save his leg and made the decision to amputate.
In ajoint Instagram postwith Ana posted over two weeks after the attack, he reflected on their first month of marriage. "What can I say... we're off to a great start, aren't we?" he joked in the post, translated from Spanish.
"Who would have thought that life would test us so soon?" he asked, calling the shark attack "probably the cruelest and most brutal episode" of their lives together."Not for a single moment did we stop believing that it would only be a bump in the road," he went on.
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"There are moments that change you forever. Moments when you understand how fragile life is, but also the strength you can find when everything seems to be falling apart."
Garcia Sousa was in intensive care during his hospital stay, and he thanked his loved ones for their support while he was being treated. "All the helping hands, all the messages, and every prayer said for me, I'm sure they reached heaven in an instant and, somehow, brought me back," he wrote.
He paid tribute to his wife, explaining that the ordeal made him sure "there was no better person" to support him through, and spoke of his desire to return to Spain and "hug tightly and kiss our loved ones."He finished, "After all, you realize there's nothing more precious than coming home and feeling the love of those who never let go."
The couple remains in the Maldives as Garcia Sousa awaits clearance to travel, according to Spanish newspaperLa Razon.
The South Asian country is home to a number of shark species. The area where the attack took place is known for spinner sharks, but local reports identified the shark in question as a tiger shark, according to Spanish outletDiario Sur.
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According to theDaily Mail,police are investigating the incident after Ana filed a formal complaint accusing the organizers of the group trip of negligence. PEOPLE reached out to the Maldives Police Service to confirm, but did not immediately hear back.
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