A homeless man in Florida lost part of his arm in an alligator attack after ignoring warnings about the dangers of swimming in Seminole County’s Lake Monroe. The incident occurred around 2 a.m. on Sunday, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
The 31-year-old man, whose identity has not been disclosed, was taking a midnight dip in the lake when he was bitten by an alligator. Despite the severe injury, he managed to drag himself out of the water and collapse on a nearby road. Fortunately, a couple of good Samaritans found him and rushed him to a hospital, where surgeons had to amputate his arm at the elbow to save his life.
The attack might have been prevented if the man had heeded the advice of a local fisherman. John Lawson, who was fishing nearby, noticed the man in the water as it was getting dark. “I was fishing down the bank. It was getting dark. And I saw something floating, probably 500-600 feet away,” Lawson told News 6. Concerned, he asked if the man was alright, but the swimmer brushed off the warning, claiming he was fine.
Lawson’s wife persuaded him to call the police out of fear that the man could drown, get hit by a boat, or fall victim to an alligator. Officers arrived at the scene and offered the man blankets and clothes, but he refused their help and continued swimming.
“I was like, ‘Man, we’re just trying to help you. You’re out here in the dark, like you’re either gonna get hit by a boat or eaten by a gator.’ He said he wasn’t worried about gators,” Lawson recounted. Despite the clear danger, the man became agitated and began throwing objects at Lawson from the water.
Shortly after, the man was attacked by one of the estimated 1,200 alligators inhabiting Lake Monroe, which spans 8,771 acres. The incident highlights the perilous nature of swimming in Florida’s freshwater lakes, especially at night when alligators are most active.
FWC officials are still trying to understand why the man chose to swim in such hazardous conditions. The tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the importance of respecting wildlife and heeding local warnings to avoid such dangerous encounters.
