Jess Hardiman
A woman in Florida has described the disturbing experience of trying to save a neighbour who was tragically killed by an alligator – saying it still ‘haunts’ her.
Carol, 77, watched in horror as her neighbour Gloria was pulled away by the alligator behind their retirement homes in Fort Pierce, St Lucie County.
Her friend had reportedly been walking her dog when she was dragged into the water by the beast.
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Speaking to WPBF, Carol recalled: "I saw my neighbor... the dog running up, the neighbor being down and bitten on the leg by an alligator and pulled into the water.”
Carol rushed to call 911 before going back out to scream to the 85-year-old, begging her to fight the gator off.
"I just remember her pushing her hair out of her face and getting air, and I'm saying 'swim'... and she's saying, ‘I can't, the gator has me’," she said.
Carol ran to her garage and grabbed a long pole, hoping she could put it into the water and either 'hook her or hit him’ with it.
“She was not there anymore," she said.
Sadly, Carol knew getting any closer would endanger herself, so she felt helpless.
She continued: "It just haunts me right now. There's nothing I could do, I could not get in the water."
While her friend – a widow who had ‘many good friends’ at their retirement community – didn't make it, her dog fortunately survived the attack.
“She loved her dog,” Carol said, adding: "I never woke up this Monday morning and thought that I would be watching someone die being taken under by an alligator."
St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials responded to the call about the alligator attack.
The FFW confirmed the victim’s dog was in good condition, saying in a statement: “The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission places the highest priority on public safety and administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) to address complaints concerning specific alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property.”
The government agency administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) to address complaints about specific alligators thought to pose a threat to people, pets or property in Florida.
People with such concerns about an alligator are advised to call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).