A woman in Hawaii was swimming off the coast of Maui when a 12-foot-tiger shark attacked her. Despite finding herself in literally the most terrifying situation imaginable, the woman, who has a black belt in tae kwon do, kept cool and preemptively attacked the hellish sea beast with a punch to its nose.

"My Tae Kwan Do prepared me to learn how to punch," she told ABC's News10. "I punched it twice. I punched it this way, and that one contacted. But this [punch] kind of hit the side and slid into the mouth."

Amazingly, the punch scared the shark away and she lived, although she needed more than 100 stitches on her right hand and thigh.

Her husband was able to put the situation in some sort perspective, although he isn't nearly as terrified of the ocean as he should be.

"I've always reassured my family. We spend tons of time in the ocean. We love the ocean. I've always told my kids there's zero reasons to fear sharks because what is scary is breast cancer," he said. "Getting bitten by a shark is one in 4 million to visitors to Hawaii, so we should not have to worry at all."

Incorrect: one should always worry about sharks, even in swimming pools.

Of course, there's a lesson here, and it is: don't go anywhere near the ocean unless you're a black belt in some sort of martial arts. Otherwise, you'll get eaten.

-Taylor

[Image via AP]