Stephen Schafer kiteboarding in 2007. Photo by Chris Shultz

STUART — A 38-year-old kiteboard surfer attacked by sharks Wednesday afternoon has died from his injuries, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.

It was Martin County’s first fatal shark attack, according to records going back to 1882.

About 4 p.m., a lifeguard was looking through his binoculars and saw Stephen Howard Schafer, 38, of Stuart, in distress about a quarter of a mile off shore from an unguarded beach just south of Stuart Beach, officials said.

When the lifeguard paddled out to Schafer, he was encircled by sharks, officials said.

The lifeguard put Schafer on his rescue board and paddled to shore where Schafer said he had been bitten by a shark, authorities said. Officials performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the victim, who had multiple bite wounds, and he was rushed to Martin Memorial North Medical Center, where he later died.

A woman, who answered the phone at the lifeguard’s residence, said he had no comment.

Schafer’s friends said they are shocked by his death.

“I’ve never heard of multiple sharks in this area surrounding someone and fatally wounding him,” said the victim’s childhood friend, Teague Taylor, 36. “He was the nicest person ever.”

Normally, sharks appear in the area to feast on bait fish migrating to the area.

Taylor said he was surprised to see the sharks because they normally come around the spring. On Tuesday, the day before the fatal attack, Taylor said he was surfing near where his friend was attacked and he saw several sharks.

“You always think in the back of your mind that they (sharks) are out there,” he said.

Jordan Schwartz, who has known Schafer for five years, said he was a very experienced kiteboard surfer.

“He was a super nice guy. Always mellow. I don’t think he had any enemies,” he said.

It was unknown whether Stuart Beach would be open Thursday.

Prior to Wednesday’s attack, the Treasure Coast’s last fatal shark attack occurred Nov. 21, 1998, in Vero Beach.

Authorities said James Willie Tellasmon, 9, was attacked by a shark north of Jaycee Beach. A 3 1/2-hour search that day proved fruitless. It wasn’t until the next day searchers found part of the boy’s body, severed by a shark bite.

Including Wednesday’s fatal attack, there have been about 14 deaths in Florida attributed to sharks, according to records provided by University of Florida Museum of Natural History.

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