Good Samaritan recounts saving woman after alligator bite

MARION COUNTY, Fla. – A woman is recovering at home in good spirits after suffering a traumatic right-arm amputation in an alligator attack on the Silver River. Her family credits a quick-thinking boater with saving her life.

The attack occurred Saturday afternoon while the victim and a group of swimmers were in the springs. According to the family, the woman attempted to push the alligator away with a paddle, but the alligator grabbed her by the arm and pulled her underwater.

Good Samaritan: ‘Bones poking out, blood everywhere,’

John Gamache and his father were eating lunch on their boat nearby when they heard frantic cries for help. Because he says the spring water was crystal-clear, Gamache was able to spot the danger immediately.

“I looked just upriver from us a couple hundred feet and saw an alligator head way above the water and going full speed towards the swimmers,” Gamache said.

Gamache sped his boat toward the group. By the time he arrived, the alligator had released the victim, and the commotion of the boat helped scare the reptile away. Gamache found a scene of panic, with several swimmers in distress and the injured woman holding onto a paddleboard.

Recognizing that every second counted, Gamache jumped into action. He used a rope from his boat to tie off the severe wound.

Gamache and his father then brought the remaining swimmers and children onto their boat and rushed to the closest boat launch. First responders rushed the victim to the hospital. On Sunday, her family confirmed she has been discharged and is resting at home.

A woman is recovering in the hospital after officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said she was bitten by an alligator while swimming in Marion County on Aug. 8. (Source: Roxanne Miller)

The backstory:

The incident comes after several alligator incidents in Central Florida since June, including one where a woman died.

Trapper catches alligator

FWC officers and a contracted Nuisance Alligator Trapper responded to the scene to locate the alligator. The alligator was found on Sunday, officials said. 

A 9-foot-8-inch alligator was removed from the area, FWC reported. 

Gamache, a lifelong visitor to the Silver Springs area, noted that he had never witnessed an alligator attack there before.

Family expresses gratitude

The victim’s family recently reached out to Gamache by phone to express their gratitude.

“They called earlier and we talked for a while and it was heartwarming to hear them explain their emotions,” Gamache said. “We’re glad that it happened as good as it could have. Like the result is just the sustained injury and nothing more.”

Silver River reopens

Following the incident, Marion County officials reported that Silver River was temporarily closed while the trapper worked to remove the alligator. 

As of Aug. 9, the river has now reopened to the public. 

What you can do:

Wildlife officials urge anyone with concerns about an alligator to contact the Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-392-4286 and a wildlife official will respond to the location to resolve the situation.