Florida Man survives 3 days in swamp after alligator attack

[1srelluc]

Florida man survives 3 days in swamp after losing arm in alligator attack: 'Do or die' A Florida man who says he was attacked by an alligator is in good spirits despite losing an arm and finding himself stranded in a swamp for three days. Eric Merda, 43, says he had just finished an irrigation job in July in Parrish Florida when he decided to stop at Lake Manatee Fish Camp to throw away trash which resulted in him getting lost in the woods, WTVT-TV reported. Merda told the outlet that he spotted his truck across a body of water and jumped into the water figuring he could swim to his vehicle. Halfway across the lake, Merda says he encountered an alligator that grabbed his arm and snapped it as he tried to pull him under three times. "It's do or die," Merda explained. "Do you want to live or die. I was given the opportunity to make a chance, and I decided to live." After the alligator finally retreated, Merda says he was injured and lost in the swamp for three days before being found and airlifted to a hospital where doctors amputated his arm. He should move to LA.

 

[deannalw]

Wow!

I doubt I could survive three days in the swamps even without a gator attack.

 

[TroglocratsRdumb]

the mosquito bites would be the worst part

 

[johngaltshrugged]

Dudes lucky to be alive.
I recall seeing a documentary many years ago about a guy in Australia that was attacked by a croc in the outback. He killed it but had to drag himself out of the bush.
His name was something catchy, like Crocodile Bundy or something like that.

I believe he also sold shoes & hated fat women, too. Don't know how I remember that & I might be confusing it with another documentary.

 

[Sunni Man]

Like a local fellow told me when I first visited Florida several years ago.
"Anytime you see a body of water, just assume there's an alligator in it."

 

[gipper]

Florida man survives 3 days in swamp after losing arm in alligator attack: 'Do or die' A Florida man who says he was attacked by an alligator is in good spirits despite losing an arm and finding himself stranded in a swamp for three days. Eric Merda, 43, says he had just finished an irrigation job in July in Parrish Florida when he decided to stop at Lake Manatee Fish Camp to throw away trash which resulted in him getting lost in the woods, WTVT-TV reported. Merda told the outlet that he spotted his truck across a body of water and jumped into the water figuring he could swim to his vehicle. Halfway across the lake, Merda says he encountered an alligator that grabbed his arm and snapped it as he tried to pull him under three times. "It's do or die," Merda explained. "Do you want to live or die. I was given the opportunity to make a chance, and I decided to live." After the alligator finally retreated, Merda says he was injured and lost in the swamp for three days before being found and airlifted to a hospital where doctors amputated his arm. He should move to LA.

That’s one tough hillbilly.

 

[Hellokitty]

Like a local fellow told me when I first visited Florida several years ago.
"Anytime you see a body of water, just assume there's an alligator in it."

Yeah I've heard that too, This is why you stay out of the ocean (sharks) and any areas where there could be alligators or snakes.

 

[whitehall]

He saw his truck but after he was attacked by an alligator he became lost for three days? Something doesn't add up.

 

[Canon Shooter]

Like a local fellow told me when I first visited Florida several years ago.
"Anytime you see a body of water, just assume there's an alligator in it."

There's no such thing as a body of fresh water in Florida without an alligator in it.

We have three lakes on the golf course in our community and, while they usually stay in the water, with just their eyes and snouts exposed, sometimes they'll decide to sun themselves on the banks of the lakes. The biggest one I've ever seen was about 12' stem to stern; pretty big. I haven't seen one that big in probably five or six years, though. Gators which are five to six feet in length are far more common...

 

[Sunni Man]

Yeah I've heard that too, This is why you stay out of the ocean (sharks) and any areas where there could be alligators or snakes.

Many times there are sharks in the water close to where a lot of people are swimming in the warm Gulf waters of Florida, and attacks by sharks are extremely rare.
But if a person goes swimming in a body of water with an alligator in it.
It's almost 100% certain you will be attacked and probably killed and eaten.

 

[odanny]

Darwin must have left early that day.

 

[Muhammed]