Carsten Kieffer, a Florida man, shared his harrowing experience of being attacked by a 12-foot alligator in 2020. The incident occurred while Kieffer was gator hunting on Lake Jessup. The alligator pushed off the bottom of the canal and got into the boat, latching onto Kieffer’s arm.

Kieffer said the gator started to do the death roll, which caused his arm to rip off. He recalled the sound of his skin ripping and bones breaking but couldn’t remember the alligator attached to his arm. Fortunately, his friends were able to save the arm, and surgeons successfully reattached it.

Kieffer now has two plates and 17 screws in his arm, but it’s 90% back to normal. He has been back in the water and urges people not to fear alligators, stating they only attack when harassed or during mating season. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, alligator mating season begins in April, and it’s essential to exercise caution when near bodies of water during this time.

Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.