Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 12
Florida Woman Loses Arm in 9-Foot-8-Inch Alligator Attack as Son Blames Tourists, TikTokers
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 12

Florida Woman Loses Arm in 9-Foot-8-Inch Alligator Attack as Son Blames Tourists, TikTokers

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 12

Summary

  • Dina Spann, 58, survived a Saturday attack in Marion County’s Silver River but had her right arm amputated below the elbow and lost at least one finger on her left hand.
  • Her son, Zach Guerrina, said tourists and TikTok users who feed, touch or closely approach alligators are making them lose their fear of people, warning similar attacks could happen again.
  • Spann was swimming in a prohibited area when the alligator grabbed her arm and pulled her underwater; boater John Gamache rushed over, scared it off and used rope as a tourniquet.
  • FWC-contracted trappers removed a 9-foot-8-inch alligator from the river on Sunday, and the waterway later reopened to the public.
  • The attack adds to a recent run of Florida incidents, including an 11-year-old boy who lost a hand in June and a 31-year-old woman killed a day later.

Insights

How did a split-second decision by a stranger turn a horrific alligator attack into a miraculous survival story?
What hidden dangers lurk beneath the surface of Florida's seemingly peaceful recreational rivers?