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Fanning donates payment to mauled surfer

Mick Fanning has donated his $75,000 payment for a television interview to a Gold Coast surfer mauled by a shark last month.

Fanning had a close encounter with what was believed to be a great white at Jeffreys Bay in South Africa two weeks ago, but emerged unscathed.

‘I was waiting for the teeth’: Mick Fanning 
Fanning saves surfing from the jaws of defeat

Mathew Lee was not as lucky when bodyboarding at Ballina on July 2.

A white-pointer savagely mauled the 32-year-old’s legs and he remains at Gold Coast University Hospital, having undergone multiple surgeries.

Now it has emerged that Fanning gave Lee his $75,000 fee from a 60 Minutes interview which aired on Sunday,

Nine CEO David Gyngell said he would donate another $25,000 to help pay for Lee’s treatment.

Lee’s family posted their thanks on Facebook.

“Mick Fanning and David Gyngell,” the family wrote. “No words can describe how grateful we are for the generous donation.”

Fanning revealed during the interview that he would seek professional help to overcome the trauma of his own brush with a shark.

“I guess when something like this happens, you’re in your own mind, and your mind can play tricks on you,” Fanning said.

“Your mind can … turn shadows into demons, or stuff like that.

“And then you sort of have, like, different self-doubts, and like, why did I get away with that? I’m going to seek help, for sure. I think it’s the only way to deal with it.”

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