Woman Loses Arm In Gator Attack
An Orlando, Fla. woman lost much of her right arm Aug. 8 when she was attacked by an alligator while swimming in the Wekiva River north of Orlando.
Rachel D. Lilienthal, 37, was swimming just west of the Wekiva Island Marina, upstream away from a crowded beach area when the attack occurred, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officials. She was bitten at least twice, and her right arm was severed above the elbow.
As Lilienthal struggled against the alligator, kayakers came to her rescue. One of the kayakers beat the alligator with a paddle until it released her. The two kayakers brought her to the marina, where Seminole County deputies administered first aid and emergency medical personnel were called. Lilienthal was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center for treatment. Her condition would not be released because of privacy concerns.
The Orlando Sentinel spoke with a canoeist who witnessed the attack.
Jacob Frick told the Orlando Sentinel, “We see the jaws just chomp down on her arm, and it starts spinning around, pulls her underwater, goes back up. She’s just screaming.”
The next day, Aug. 9, FWC personnel captured and euthanized the animal.
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