British Grandfather Gets Fired After Rescuing Kids From a Shark

An incredibly brave and gutsy gesture has cost a British grandfather his job. Paul Marshallsea wrestled a shark away from some children while vacationing on a beach in Australia. It wasn't the heroic act that got him fired, it was why he was there in the first place. Marshallsea can be seen in this video pushing back a good sized shark that got a little too close to some children swimming nearby. When he returned home and to his job, a very disturbing letter was waiting for him.

Marshallsea and his wife were employed by a charity, Pant and Dowlais Boys & Girls Club in Wales. They both took 'sick leave' because of "work-related stress", which apparently is what led to their dismissal.

The letter sent by their employer read: "Whilst unfit to work you were well enough to travel to Australia and, according to recent news footage of yourself in Queensland, you allegedly grabbed a shark by the tail and narrowly missed being bitten by quickly jumping out of the way; the photographs and footage appearing in newspapers and television broadcasts."

Marshallsea and his wife were completely stunned and disgusted by the letter after decades of service to the charity and how the whole thing was handled. Marshallsea was quoted as saying: "If I hadn't gone in to save the kids on that beach that day my wife and I would still have a job."  They have been on leave since last April because of stress and traveled to Australia on his doctor's advice.

No word yet from the charity on whether the Marshallseas' will be reinstated to their positions. Technically, they didn't really lie because their leave was approved by the employer and they simply reacted to a dangerous situation on the beach. It basically comes down to being on vacation while out on sick leave.