The shark attack survivor has spoken to the media for the first time since losing three-quarters of his left thigh at Bombo Beach on March 30.

The 23-year-old told the Illawarra Mercury doctor’s haven’t been able to give him a clear timeline of recovery as “no-one’s really dealt with that kind of injury before”.

“I’d like to say I’m not worried [about getting back in the ocean] but you don’t know what will happen until you get in the water,” he said. “If you look at how much ocean there is, it was just a case of the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Mr Connellan said he was overwhelmed by the flood of support he’d been given and was amazed how more than 500 people packed into the Shellharbour club for the Surfers for Bretto fundraiser.

The June 25 event was organised by some of his mates and the Jones Beach Boardriders to help ease the financial pain of his rehabilitation.

Though he’s not much a fan of attention, the Kiama Downs local felt inspired by how open the broader Illawarra community had been in giving him well wishes and messages of support.

“[It’s given me] a renewed view of human nature,” he said. “It sucks something bad has to happen for me to realize that but it’s really cool.”

On stage, Malcolm Connellan thanked the crowd and the wider community for their generosity and admitted he felt the ocean had “betrayed” his surfing family.

“I really wish that I wasn’t here tonight, I wish that the incident … didn’t happen,” he said as he choked back tears.

But he praised Brett’s drive and determination, and promised to be by his side the day he gets back in the water.

“I’m starting to miss it,” said his son told the Mercury later in the evening. “It’s a huge part of my life surfing.”

It will be a long road ahead as doctors won’t even let him get the wound wet yet, so swimming is out of the question for now. But his mother Gail is hopeful and said he’s defying the odds.

“I’m so proud of him, he’s worked hard to get to where he is and he’s exceeded the doctors expectations,” she said.

When the time does come for Brett Connellan to dip his toes in again there will be a strong network surrounding him, plus a new surfboard.

His mates chipped in to buy the grey Dylan Perese board he’d been pining for, with the addition of a cartoon caricature of the blonde surfer and a slew of messages inscribed on the fibreglass to remind him he’s not alone.

“It means the world to me that so many people care, it’s crazy,” he said.