Shark attack survivor Kai McKenzie speaks about the harrowing ordeal and the struggles he has endured since losing a leg and nearly his life

A surfer who lost his leg to a 10-foot shark remembers the moment an off-duty police officer saved his life and is now focused on getting back in the water.

Kai McKenzie, 23, spent two months in Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital after being attacked on a remote beach near Port Macquarie on the New South Wales mid-north coast in July.

He recalled repeatedly trying to kick the shark away before he finally caught a wave and hit the shore, where a police officer walking his dog on the beach came to his aid.

The off-duty police officer fashioned a makeshift tourniquet out of the dog's leash – a measure that probably saved Mr McKenzie from losing any blood.

“He visited me in the hospital and it was huge. Without him, I definitely wouldn't be here right now,” McKenzie told surf magazine Stab last week.

“Damn it, he had a dog leash.”

In addition to dealing with physical scars and the amputation of a leg, Mr McKenzie also faces several psychological challenges – including the stares of strangers.

“It was a tough thing. Some people can't judge the mood in the room and are quite insensitive,” he said.

“Hopefully once I have a prosthesis, things will be different.”

“Right now I'm just walking around on crutches, so it's sticking out like dog balls. If Eve (his girlfriend) and my parents hadn't been by my side the whole damn time, my mind would be in a completely different place than it is now.”

Although he almost lost his life in this horrific ordeal, the surfer is determined to return to the water as soon as possible.

Although the traumatic attack is still fresh in Mr McKenzie's mind, the surfer is determined to get back in the water as soon as possible.

He has been consulting with nurses and doctors in the hope of getting a prosthetic leg.

Mr McKenzie's mental recovery was also helped by news of fellow surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost her left arm in a shark attack in 2003.

“She was on vacation and just said to me, 'You don't know what you're capable of. There's no one who's lost a leg that can surf like you.' She just gave me a snapshot of reality and changed my whole mindset so I can stay positive,” McKenzie said.

In a recent social media post, Mr McKenzie shared his determination to start surfing again.

“I'm looking forward to the day I get back here. I'm going to do everything I can to get there. I know it's going to be a long road but it will work out and all your support has motivated me. So let's do it,” he wrote.

Mr McKenzie (pictured) recalled the attack and how he repeatedly tried to kick the shark away before finally riding a wave onto the shore, where a police officer rushed to his aid.

In August, he also wrote a touching tribute to his girlfriend.

“This damn girl is truly a major reason for my motivation. She is the best nurse anyone could get!” wrote Mr McKenzie.

“Eve has done so much for me and I love her more than anything.”

“This is the first day I’ve been discharged from the hospital in a month and a half, how damn good!”

Mr McKenzie also shared his thoughts on a leaked video of his attack that went viral online in the days after he lost his limb.

“There is no respect. That's all I see. If that was your child, I'm sure you wouldn't want to see that either,” he said.