California shark attack survivor recalls ‘tussling’ with animal and screaming for help [Video]

The man who was bitten multiple times by a shark while swimming near San Diego, California, earlier this month recalled “tussling” with the animal for seconds and swimming through bloody water to safety.

Caleb Adams, 46, was swimming in Del Mar, California, with 18 members of an open water swim group when he felt “a strong hit to my body” on June 2.

“I knew I had been hit by a shark. I tussled with the animal for what was seconds,” he told NBC News correspondent Gadi Schwartz in an exclusive interview aired Tuesday on “TODAY.”

“The second time I struck the animal and I felt a softer tissue. I am going to speculate that that was inside the shark’s mouth. And I had several cuts on my hand and wrist,” he recalled.

That’s when he yelled “just two clear words”— “help” and “shark.”

His swimming buddy Kevin Barrett heard his cries for help.

“You know that’s a real scream,” …