or redistributed. But as soon as he entered the lake, a crocodile surfaced, clamping down on his left arm and ripping the limb off from below the elbow.\r\rForest department officials rescued Dandwate, and he was rushed to the hospital for treatment. Storyful. "I was reborn for a reason, and I believe that is to motivate people," Eric Merda told WFLA about the July incident. A stock photo shows an alligator in a Florida swamp. 3 Might Make You An Emotional Wreck, How Bail Bag Helps The Formerly Incarcerated Get Back On Their Feet, Advice From A Finance Pro For How To Survive (And Thrive) In This Economy, Why We Shouldnt Forget About The Game Stop Short Squeeze, Five Cities Where Latinx Street Art Is Alive And Well, Travel Budgeting Pro Gabby Beckford Shares Her Best Financial Advice For 2023 Adventures, We Blind Tested Our Favorite Fast Food Double Cheeseburgers & Crowned A New Champ, How To Actually, Truly Buy Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon For Real, Were Picking The Very Best Air Jordan IIIs Of All Time, In Control: Quentin Grimes Is Writing His Own Story With The Knicks, Amanda Renner On Getting To Dig Deeper With Player Interviews At The Masters, Charlotte Flair Continues To Carve Out My Own Path Ahead Of WrestleMania 39, Maxo Decries The Face Of Stone Portrayed By A Fake Friend For UPROXX Sessions, Talib Kweli & Cormega On The Realness II, Nas, The Firm, Large Pro, Queens, Luh Tyler Goes Behind The Video For His Law & Order Visual, Sandra Mejia Is Bringing The Healing Power Of Plants To The Green Desert Of South Central Los Angeles. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) there are an estimated 1.3 million alligators in the state that inhabit all wild areas that can support them. In a TikTok video shared by @thereptilezoo, a woman let a massive alligator lay on top of her and it ended up urinating all over the place! A Florida man who had his arm ripped off by an alligator as he swam across a lake has offered some advice, saying: "Leave them gators alone". A young man trying to avoid Lakeland police lost his arm to an alligator in a lake Wednesday evening.\r\r\rThe ABC Action News app brings you the latest trusted news and information.\r\rABC Action News is Taking Action For You with leading local news coverage, \"Certified Most Accurate\" weather forecasts, and award-winning I-Team investigations. A man in Florida who managed to survive for three days lost in the woods after an alligator tore off his arm has spoken about his ordeal two months after the attack. A Florida man is speaking out after a three-day-long ordeal in which he lost his arm in an alligator attack and then got lost in a swamp. The man was golfing at the Ocean Creek Golf Course when his ball went into a nearby pond. 'I said a gator got me arm, he said, 'holy smokes man!'. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Timothy Satterlee. Footage showed him wrangling with the thrashing gator. I was given the opportunity to make a chance, and I decided to live. His wife said he was attacked as he waded through the floodwaters around noon on Monday. 'And there's nothing, no words can describe it, you know.'. A Utah reptile center employee is recovering after an alligator yanked her into its enclosure during a presentation, thrashing her around before a fast-acting visitor leapt inside and helped free. The wildlife agency says 22 alligator-bite incidents have been reported this year. Last modified on Wed 15 Mar 2023 14.01 EDT. Florida is known for its large alligator population. SLIDELL, La. HOMELESS FLORIDA MAN TAKES STOLEN CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT ON JOYRIDE, LEAVES PATH OF DESTRUCTION: POLICE, Florida alligator being trapped by wildlife officials (Fox 13 Tampa Bay). Funck was in stable condition Thursday, Dunn said. Finally, Merda said he encountered a man on the other side of a fence who asked him what he was doing. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation said the . 02:13 - Source: WFTS Latest Videos 17 videos Drone footage captures. He told Fox13 Tampa Bay he is happy to be alive: "It's do or die," he said. Not the smartest decision a Florida boy could make, Merda told WTSP. One of the alligators attacks him and bites down on his arm. The man was being treated for injuries that were not life-threatening, according to the The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "He's got a long way to go, lots of surgery. A man believed to be looking for Frisbees in a lake was killed in late May in Largo, a city in the Tampa Bay area. On July 15, an 80-year-old woman was killed after she fell into the canal near her home at the Boca Royale Golf and Country Club in Englewood, about 30 miles south of Sarasota. Share. A 71-year-old Louisiana man is missing after an alligator bit off his arm in floodwaters caused by Hurricane Ida. It happened Tuesday in Charlotte City, north of Fort Myers. The man was attacked outside his home in the New Orleans suburb of Slidell, which was inundated with several feet of water. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, But it took another 2 1/2 hours to kill and land the big reptile, cut it open and retrieve the arm. This story has been shared 390,266 times. We've received your submission. The above-displayed photographs have been linked to an October 2009 incident in which a 10-foot alligator bit off the arm of a 77-year-old South . Legal Statement. However, thanks to a brave man, the handler's hand was freed from the jaws of the reptile. 'She snapped her head so my arm with backwards like this completely,' he said. BENGALURU, INDIA An Indian engineer is learning the hard way that even after you have been mauled by crocodiles trying to rescue your pet, the government w. CNN affiliate WFTS reports. Describing the grisly state of his arm, he told 10 Tampa Bay he could see bones and muscles exposed. An alligator handler got wrangled in by the creature she was hired to control -- but before things turned deadly . WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah A 31-year-old woman was hospitalized after an alligator she's worked with for many years bit her hand and pulled her into the water at a traveling reptile show in West Valley City. some on-the-spot heroics by zoo guests saved . Authorities are still looking for a 71-year-old Louisiana man who went missing after an alligator tore his arm off inside his shed, which was flooded during Hurricane Ida. We cover the funniest, craziest and most talked-about stories on the internet. In a message to others, Merda told 10 Tampa Bay that people should be cautious around Florida waters. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The alligator then launched itself upwards partially into the boat and bit (the victim) on his right arm and began to spin, amputating the arm at about the middle of the forearm, the report states. Im going up, and Im not coming back down.". Dramatic video showed the encounter, which ended after a bystander jumped into the tank and grabbed the gator while the woman . We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Upon reflection of his harrowing experience, Merda said he wants to become a motivational speaker. Merda spent three fruitless days meandering around the dismal swamp, trying to find an exit.I felt like I was walking in circles, I didnt know, Merda said. The tragic event serves as an unfortunate reminder that humans were not the only living things displaced during hurricane Ida, and flooded areas are now particularly hazardous to trek through. He told Fox News 13that Merda was evidently in agony. Then, he was stretchered off to Sarasota Memorial Hospital, where surgeons removed most of his right arm. Fortunately, he escaped unhurt. FLORIDA MAN WIELDING MACHETE DEAD AFTER BREAKING INTO HOME, TELLING SLEEPING RESIDENT 'I LOVE YOU', Lake Manatee Fish Camp, Myakka City Florida (Fox 13 Tampa Bay), "I'm thriving," Merda said. Market data provided by Factset. He and manager Dusty Baker came to the mound and spoke with the right-hander for a couple of minutes before escorting him off the field. ", FLORIDA MAN WITH HUSTLE EAT SLEEP REPEAT TATTOO CHARGED WITH THROWING HOT DOG AT POLICE OFFICER, Eric Merda, 43, lost his arm to an alligator while swimming in Florida lake (Fox 13 Tampa Bay). The caption of the video reads, "Just a taste". A Florida man says he survived being lost in a swamp for three days before finding help after an alligator attack. I was powerless and completely at the mercy of that wild animal. Natural selection does that to people.. "My heart is broken but we are so thankful he is alive," James added. I'm thriving. They cut the harpoon lines and looked for a residence to stop for help. BENGALURU, INDIA An Indian engineer is learning the hard way that even after you have been mauled by crocodiles trying to rescue your pet, the government will still come after you for a payout.\r\rMudit Dandwate, 26, was visiting visiting a temple in a forest area called Ramanagaram in Bangalore with a friend and his two dogs Sunday morning, the Times of India reported.\r\rWhen the dogs decided to jump off into a lake. A midwestern farmer called emergency services, shouting: "Come before it gets me again!" after he was attacked by his pet zebra at a farm in . Merda managed to swim back to shore and started to walk in search of help. Fatal alligator attacks are rare in the United States, typically occurring about once a year. 'They cut the fence they helped him up, and he actually walked to the ambulance.'. The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office said the body of the Slidell man has not been found. Merda was taken to hospital where doctors amputated most of his right arm. After a gator bit Eric Merdas arm off while swimming in Lake Manatee, he spent three exhausting days on the swamp with one arm, Tampas WTSP reports. According to Mr Caetano, the man tried swimming faster in order to escape the oncoming reptile. Arcturus: New COVID-19 variant spreading in the U.S with new symptom, Gov. Do not feed the gators and you guys know who you are, throwing rocks at them, Ive seen it on the job sites, leave them gators alone, Merda cautions. Sarasota man found naked with arm gone after gator attack, witnesses say. Market data provided by Factset. A NORTH CAROLINA local tried to trap an alligator with a towel but he bit off more than he could chew. On 1 February 2018, the dubious web site World News Daily Report published a fake news article about a Greenpeace activist who had his arm bitten off by a shark after they tried to give it a hug . While power outages and demolished buildings each come with their own unique set of challenges, a heartbreaking story has drawn attention to just how dangerous a simple walk down your street could be post-hurricane. By WTSP shared portions of the interview with Merda on their Youtube. Footage. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The Fripp . I was given the opportunity to make a chance, and I decided to live. The gator was 8 feet 9 inches long and weighed about 300 to 350 pounds. An alligator trapper was dispatched to the scene, but it is not known if the animal which attacked Merda was found. But family friend Cory Dunn said the effort was unsuccessful. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Central Florida family says their Yorkie survived backyard alligator attack. Suddenly the 400-pound alligator grabbed him by his arm, according to media reports, and dragged him into a pond. There have been at least six alligator attacks near Tampa so far this year, 10 Tampa Bay reported. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Now, Merda's family is asking for financial help to help him adjust to his new life. On July 17, Eric Merda was swimming across Lake. He was talking to us and everything. He was talking to us and everything. Merda is one of those fortunate individuals who were able to share his experience. A golf resort in South Carolina posted a photo of a man on the golf course dangerously grabbing the tail of an alligator while another man took his picture. 'He was in a lot of pain. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Bizarre moment SUV is spotted with a MONSTER 11-foot gator strapped to its rear on a Florida interstate, Florida woman, 77, is attacked by 7ft alligator as she stood near pond in gated community. Funck and two friends from Slidell, La., about 20 miles northeast of New Orleans, had trudged half a mile to a small pond called Crystal Lake for a swim Wednesday afternoon. A Florida man wrestled an alligator, saved his new puppy and managed not to drop his cigar in a harrowing rescue captured on surveillance footage. She managed to pulled him away from the animal before running to call for help but was forced to take a boat due to the high waters and lack of cell service, WWL-TV reported. If youre laughing, were laughing. The alligator's bite was so powerful bite that Heim needed 34 stitches in his head. When she returned, Satterless was missing.Neighbors said large alligators are common in the area, near the Big Branch National Wildlife Refuge, because some residents feed them. Other people on the boat were able to force the alligator to release its bite, according to the report. Associated Press. \r\rABC Action News, WFTS, covers local news in Tampa Bay and Florida. The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced Merdas alligator encounter on July 21. SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) A Sarasota man spent three days lost in a swamp after losing his arm in a gator attack. "It was all together, but it was a blueish color," McCrea said of the torn limb. 'Bones poking out, muscles, if I try to move my fingers, you could see it twitching,' he said. Font Size: One woman has gone viral for her interaction with a massive alligator. Merda reached over to grab the animal in an unsuccessful attempt to free his arm. "The urgent problem with reattaching a limb is getting blood supply to the muscle as soon as possible," said Dr. Charles Dupin, head of plastic surgery at the LSU Health Science Center. SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. A man was taken to the hospital after being bitten by an alligator at Lake Jesup Park around 6 p.m. Thursday evening, officials said. The clip has garnered more than 2K likes. Crocodile bites off a trainer's arm in the middle of a show in northern Thailand. The reptile went into "death rolls," a technique used to tear apart food.. Then. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! A Florida man is opening up about a recent nightmarish alligator attack that resulted in the loss of one of his arms. Eric Merda, from Sarasota, was taken to hospital after the attack at Lake Manatee Fish Camp in Myakka City in the US state on 17 July. 1:08 A petting zoo thanked a man for his heroism after he jumped on an alligator to save a handler who was caught in its jaws. He swam back to where he started, and then he began walking around, screaming for help. 'I didn't know if he was dead or alive when I first walked upon him,' the rescuer said. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. To evade death, the man quickly comes out of the water. Florida Man Survives Three Days in Woods After Alligator Bites Off Arm A man in Florida who managed to survive for three days lost in the woods after an alligator tore off his arm. However, the ordeal with the alligator was just the beginning. An alligator attacking a man swimming in a lake in Florida was captured by drone footage. Eric Merda, 43, lost his arm to an alligator while swimming in Florida lake (Fox 13 Tampa Bay) After the alligator finally retreated, Merda says he was injured and lost in the swamp for three. An enormous alligator, dubbed "Big Joe" by residents, attacked Funck, biting off his arm at the shoulder and sparking a scramble to save the boy's life. The alligator clamped down on the man's arm and . Bones poking out, muscles, if I try to move my fingers, you could see it twitching, he struggled to recall. He was in a lot of pain. The shocking video was caught on camera and is now going viral. The man's wife witnessed the attack that happened near the city of Slidell, which is just. Each time, he fought his way back to the surface. Weatherholt, a 63-year-old airboat captain in the Florida Everglades, was giving a tour of the area to an Indiana family on June 12 when a 9-foot alligator suddenly sank its teeth into his wrist, severing his hand. Donnie Wiseman was visiting the Scales and Tails petting zoo in. 0:57 At 2:21 a.m. Sunday, Edwards was hanging out with friends on Nubbin Slough in Okeechobee County when he told them he was going to swim across a 25-foot-deep canal, according to an Okeechobee . "Im actually thriving. Merda managed to swim to the shore and yell for help, in agony.