• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Florida man who lost his arm to a 10-foot gator describes horrifying last moments before attack

Home> News

Updated 07:45 25 May 2023 GMT+1Published 07:34 25 May 2023 GMT+1

Florida man who lost his arm to a 10-foot gator describes horrifying last moments before attack

Jordan Rivera was attacked by a 10ft alligator after falling into a lake behind a bar

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

A man who had his arm ripped off by an alligator has described the moments leading up to the horrific attack.

Jordan Rivera fell into a lake behind the Banditos Bar, Port Charlotte, Florida on Sunday (21 May):

The 23-year-old was desperate for a pee but couldn't wait for the bar line as it was too long, so hopped over to a nearby lake for a leak.

Advert

However, what should have been a pretty quick visit turned into a bloodbath when he tripped and fell into the water.

After landing in the lake, he was viscously attacked by a powerful gator, which sunk its teeth into his arm and tore it off.

The young man only survived because patrons of the bar raced over to rescue him from the clutches of the 10ft creature and applied a tourniquet to his arm.

Jordan Rivera lost his arm following a gator attack.
WSAZ NewsChannel 3

Advert

Recalling the last few seconds before the attack, Rivera told NBC2 that he didn't realize how deep the pond actually was when he went over.

“I just saw a little lake, so I was tryna go over there and take a little pee,” he told the outlet.

“Something happened where I either tripped or the ground below me kind of just went down — and I ended up in the water.

“And that’s literally the last thing I remember.”

Advert

Rivera then woke up in the hospital, understandably 'confused' by the whole situation.

"I looked over and I saw my arm the way it was — and I was like, ‘Whoa'," he said.

“It was the craziest thing — it was almost like out of a movie.”

The 10 foot long alligator bit off a man's arm above the elbow after he fell into water.
WPLG Local 10

Advert

He also said there had been some rumors that he'd fed the gator, but denied that happening as the bar didn't serve food, though it is a problem in the local area.

Some local residents take the scraps of their food and throw them into the water for alligators to eat, which had the resulting effect of some gators to associate people with food.

Rivera's mother, Teresa, said the bar patrons who rushed over to get her son out of the water were 'angels' and was sure they 'saved his life' from the gator.

She said it was a 'miracle' that her son was still alive and praised the people who were able to apply a tourniquet to what remained of his bitten-off arm to avoid him dying of blood loss.

Advert

The alligator was euthanised following the attack.

Featured Image Credit: WBBH/WINK-TV

Topics: US News, Animals

Dominic Smithers
Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers is the News/Agenda Desk Lead, covering the latest trends and breaking stories. After graduating from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History, he went on to write for the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express. So as you can imagine, he’s spent many a night wondering just how useful that second language has been. But c'est la vie.

X

@SmithersDom

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

3 hours ago
4 hours ago
5 hours ago
  • 3 hours ago

    Scientists explain why 'mankeeping' is the reason women are 'quiet-quitting' relationships

    It's all to do with a 'male friendship recession' where women are apparently picking up the slack...

    News
  • 4 hours ago

    Where to watch 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later as 28 Years Later is released

    The third instalment of the franchise hits theatres in America on June 20

    Film & TV
  • 4 hours ago

    Scientists issue disturbing warning with exactly how much time we have left to limit climate change

    Scientists have described it as 'crunch time' to reach a previously set target

    News
  • 5 hours ago

    Influencer found dead before husband took his own life allegedly shared disturbing Facebook post hours earlier

    Zaria Khadejah Carr allegedly made a plea before her death hours later in Georgia

    News
  • Woman who had face ripped off by friend's pet chimp reveals the horrifying sound she heard during attack
  • Horrifying simulation shows what happened to woman who was swallowed whole by 23-foot python
  • Family claim 'angels' saved Florida man who lost his arm to a 10-foot gator
  • Horrifying footage shows last moments of man who asked wife to film him jumping into frozen river