A woman in Florida suffered a terrifying alligator attack on Saturday, resulting in the loss of her right arm. Dina Rae Spann, 58, was identified as the victim. The incident occurred in Marion County’s Silver River while Spann was swimming with a group, as reported by the New York Post.
Spann’s son, Zach Guerrina, recounted that his mother tried to keep the alligator’s mouth shut as she struggled to reach the surface for air. He explained, “It had her, but she was trying to make sure it didn’t get to her legs.” Besides losing her right arm below the elbow, Spann also injured her left hand, losing part of her ring finger.
Nearby, John Gamache, a regular visitor to the Silver Springs area, was having lunch on a boat with his father when they heard cries for help. Gamache told FOX 35 Orlando, “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 quickly steered his boat toward the group. Upon reaching them, the alligator had released Spann, possibly driven away by the approaching boat. He discovered Spann clinging to a paddleboard with a severe arm injury. Gamache used rope from his boat to create a makeshift tourniquet to control the bleeding, describing the injury as “terrible,” with bones visible and blood everywhere.
Despite the grievous injuries, Guerrina noted his mother remained calm as others rushed to assist. After bringing the other swimmers aboard, Gamache and his father transported the group to a nearby boat launch, where first responders awaited them.
Following the incident, authorities temporarily closed the Silver River to allow wildlife officials to search the area. An alligator trapper, contracted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, captured a 9-foot-8-inch alligator on Sunday. Officials reopened the river after the search.
Gamache commented that the attack was unlike anything he had witnessed before in the area. Spann’s family later contacted him to express their gratitude for his intervention. “They called earlier, and we talked for a while, and it was heartwarming to hear them explain their emotions,” Gamache shared. “We’re glad that it happened as good as it could have. The result is just the sustained injury and nothing more.”
By Sunday, Spann was back home and reportedly in good spirits, despite the severe outcome. Kelly McGreal, a production assistant with Fox News Digital’s lifestyle team, contributed to the report.
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