Dad saves son from alligator attack after being seriously injured in 'death-roll'
If your child was set upon by a giant alligator in the water, what would you do? As for this dad, he battled the gator, getting seriously injured in the process of saving his son’s life.
According to reports, an alligator bit an 11-year-old boy, taking his hand, after he was fishing from shore at the Nelson Fish Camp near Umatilla in Marion County, Florida on June 27.
The juvenile, identified as Brodie Terry, per People, is said to have been visiting the state from Pennsylvania with his family, with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission telling WESH, the child was later treated in hospital.
A GoFundMe has since been raised for Brodie, as reports have been coming in of his father’s heroic actions to save his son.
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It said: “Brodie recently experienced a life-altering event when he lost his right hand in an alligator attack while fishing on vacation in Florida. This tragic accident has not only changed Brodie's life but has also placed a tremendous burden on his family as they navigate the aftermath.”
It went on to reveal that ‘every dollar raised will go directly toward supporting Brodie's recovery’ so that he can get ‘the care and resources he needs to heal and adjust to
his new life’, as well as assisting ‘the family with travel expenses and medical bills’.
On the fateful day Brodie was attacked,
Andrew Raines, a relative, told WKMG that Brodie was putting a fish back into the water after having caught it, when the gator grabbed him.
However, he claimed that Brodie’s dad wasn’t far behind and did what some would consider unthinkable.
“Brodie’s father jumped into the water on top of it and tried to pry his mouth open,” Raines said. “The gator rolled, and that’s what ultimately severed Brodie’s hand.”
According to BBC Wildlife, a death roll is what gators do to break up their prey into bite-sized pieces and drown them too.
With his life forever changed, the kindness of people online raised more than $20,000 in a July 7 update, and over $32,000 at the time of writing this article.
The GoFundMe page said Brodie’s ‘spirits’ are lifted with the ‘overwhelming’ support he has been given.
It said: “I just want to take a moment and thank everyone for their generous donation. We have almost reached $20,000 in just a week and it is absolutely amazing. Not only have your donations helped tremendously, but you sharing the story with friends and family has raised awareness and support throughout the community. Brodie is now home and his spirits have lifted a bit since leaving the hospital especially with the overwhelming support he has recieved. We are extremely grateful for each and every one of you.”
Britt Jones