Maria Korcsmaros wears a necklace made of 161 nails. After being bitten into her body by a shark, the nails pulled her skin together.

She also has a shark tribal tattoo on her arm, a permanent reminder of the marine life that few people entangled with and live to tell.

People might think that sharks biting someone’s teeth might make them not want to have anything to do with Apex predators. But for Korcsmaros, the moment near Corona del Mar in Newport Beach five years ago will always associate her with the creature that almost took her life.

"I really believe in destiny and destiny," she said. "I joked with people that the shark is my totem. Maybe it's calling me.

"It sounds interesting and a little weird," she said, "but I really think it shows that I should promote sharks."

This is why she founded the annual fundraising event Sharktoberfest Run4Sharks & Ocean Health Fair, which is now in its fourth year. This year's event will be held in Newport Dunes on November 6.

The fundraising event combined her two major hobbies: fitness and sharks.

In May 2016, Korcsmaros was swimming near a buoy near Corona del Mar, when an estimated 10-foot-long great white shark bit her teeth into her pelvis, upper body, shoulders, back and buttocks. Her lungs were punctured, and several ribs were torn apart.

Triathlete Maria Korcsmaros recovered in Santa Ana Hospital after being bitten by a great white shark about 150 yards from Corona del Mar State Beach in 2016. She is now a champion of mysterious marine life. (Photo by Jeff Grichin/SCNG)

Maria Korcsmaros, a shark attack survivor, has now become an advocate for stopping the global shark fin trade. On Wednesday, November 23, 2016, Korcsmaros wore a Halloween shark costume at her home in Corona. (Photo courtesy of Orange County Registry/SCNG)

Maria Korcsmaros, a shark attack survivor, showed her necklace in Corona on Wednesday, November 23, 2016. The necklace is made of 161 staples that hold the flesh torn by the shark bite together. . Korcsmaros has now become an advocate for stopping the global shark fin trade. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz of Orange County Registry/SCNG)

Maria Korcsmaros is a survivor of a shark bite. She has a shark tattoo on her arm. Since the 2016 attack, she has been an advocate for sharks, especially slaughtering the species for shark fin soup. (Photo courtesy of Korcsmaros)

The avid athlete and fitness coach was saved largely because she remembered raising her arms to signal for help and was spotted by two Newport Beach lifeguards who happened to be training on a nearby boat.

Since then, several shark bites have occurred on the coast of Southern California, and the public has become increasingly aware of their existence.

Therefore, Korcsmaros hopes to learn more about sharks off the coast to protect beach tourists and sharks.

Knowing about sharks means that people can do “things we like to do, such as surfing, swimming, kayaking, and paddle boarding,” said Korcsmaros, who today serves as Shark Butler’s Chairman of Southern California, organizing beach cleanups and helping Ocean-conscious people provide outreach services. Group.

After being bitten, Korcsmaros began to study the species and learn everything about sharks. She was contacted by David McGuire, the founder of Shark Stewards, who runs a non-profit organization focused on marine health and shark protection.

She learned about their protection and threats, including the shark fin trade that kills millions of animals every year.

"I started volunteering to help and spread information," she said.

At that time, she thought of organizing a run to help raise funds for Shark Butler and raise awareness about the cause. Her first was four years ago. Last year, like most other events, it was held virtually.

Five years after she was bitten, Korcsmaros admitted that she was still struggling to get into the water.

"That memory will always exist," she said.

She is a member of the shark bite survivor group on Facebook; members share stories, fears, and ways to overcome psychological barriers.

"We always knew they were there, but now we know better," she said. "This is something stuck in our heads."

But she said that being with shark experts and those who know more about this mysterious creature-many of whom will join her at the festival in the Newport Dunes-can help alleviate these concerns.

"I know sharks better and I am learning what to do if I encounter sharks and how to stay safe," she said. "I want to share this with my community more and more. This game has become one of our annual events to raise awareness of the situation in Southern California and the healthy ecosystem."

Given that millions of people go to Southern California beaches, she hopes her activities will help others learn about safety tips, such as swimming with groups and what to do when encountering sharks.

"In general, not many people understand sharks and their importance to the ecosystem and how they operate," she said.

In addition to the shark manager, the Shark Laboratory at California State University Long Beach will also set up a booth at the event to share facts and information about shark populations. The Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach will also participate.

Jim Serpa, a retired state park ranger, will display a series of artifacts he has accumulated over the years, including the teeth and jaws of several species of sharks.

"It's funny, she is a neat lady, and I fully support her career," Serpa said of Korcsmaros.

Serpa likes to teach people at his educational booth that sharks are more than just their bites," he said. "They are misunderstood and slandered, they are always bad guys. I just want people to know the information there so they can make their own decisions. "

Serpa called Korcsmaros' recovery and her efforts to help the sharks "amazing."

"I think she is a better person than me, I'm not sure I will be so friendly," he said with a smile.

Korcsmaros said more work needs to be done to ensure that shark bites are avoided as much as possible. Shark Stewards will activate "Shark Watch" at the pier to ensure that people do not play in the water and use heavy equipment designed to lure sharks.

"We know that sharks in the water now appear more frequently near surfers and surf rest spots," she said. "They are really not interested in us, they are just passing by."

But if stimulated by a fishing line, the shark may launch a violent attack on nearby swimmers, just like what happened when a shark bitten near Manhattan Beach in 2014.

For Korcsmaros, this is for the health of the next generation of oceans.

"We must be very careful," she said. "When we are old and weak, we have grandchildren and great-grandchildren, what will the sea look like? This may be a terrible situation. We are working hard to inspire the next generation."

The event will start at 9 AM at 5K and 1K, and there will be a lottery and prizes. For more information, please visit run4sharks.org

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