An 85-year-old man went to work in the garden of his house on Monday afternoon. His home has a direct exit to a huge lake located in the Big Cypress Golf and Country Club, in Florida, United States. When seeing some birds attacking their plants decided to take a few steps inside the water to scare them away. Just then a gator jumped, bit him on one foot and tried to drag him into the lake.
George Ihle Jr. did not understand what was happening. That was not an area for gators, however the large reptile had him trapped by the foot and would not let go. Upon hearing the screams his wife came out to see what was happening and was surprised to see that incredible scene. Her husband, a sturdy former US Army Veteran, was lying on the grass fighting for his life against a huge alligator.
She immediately called 911 and begged for help. Instantly the emergency number received two more calls, with equal desperation and urgency.
George managed to get away from the alligator which escaped to the lake again. He was immediately assisted by two witnesses who upon hearing the screams did not hesitate to come and help. The foot of the man did not stop bleeding and the Canadian tourist Scott Pearson took off his shirt immediately to apply it as a tourniquet in the man’s wound and thus stop the bleeding.
He was promptly transferred to Lakeland Regional Medical Center, where he underwent surgery and managed to save him. Then a team from the Florida Wildlife and Fish Conservation Commission went to his home. Later, they trapped the alligator so the same incident would not happen again. They realized that they had captured the same aligator that had attacked the man since they found a white sneaker beside him. The same one that George lacked.
