MYAKKA CITY – It was a ‘do or die’ moment for the man who lost his arm in an alligator attack in Myakka City.
“Lightning struck when she snapped my arm backwards, that’s what I call it, a lightning strike,” said Alligator attack survivor, Eric Merda.
The moment, 43-year-old Eric Merda has re-played in his mind hundreds of times since July 17th, when he fought for his life after being attacked by an alligator at Lake Manatee Fish Camp in Myakka City.
“I looked over and the gator was right next to me,” said Merda.
After finishing an irrigation job in Parrish, Merda decided to stop near the lake in Myakka to throw away trash and got lost while walking through the woods. After eventually finding water, he decided to swim across the lake to where he could see his truck.
“I got startled and I started to swim, as she grabbed the outside of my arm like this, and I grabbed her, I didn’t want her rolling over on me, because I already knew about that, and she snapped my arm backwards, she brought me under three times and I had my arm on her, she had her teeth on me, and I just kicked like heck, pushed her up three separate times,” said Merda.
Eventually the gator let him go and he managed to swim back to shore. He spent three days lost in the woods before finding help.
“It’s do or die, do you want to live or do you want to die.. I was given the opportunity to make a choice and obviously I chose to live,” said Merda.
So far this year, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has reported 22 alligator attacks. Merda, has some words of advice for anyone who finds themselves near a body of fresh water.
“More times it’s not the people that they are being attacked, it’s the people throwing them rocks and giving them food and teasing them and things like that,” said Merda.
While he will continue to relive those moments when he lost his arm, he says the attack gave him something to live for.
“I’m actually thriving.. I’m going up and I’m not coming back down,” said Merda.
Merda hopes to be fitted with a prosthetic arm later this week.
FWC has a toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline (866-392-4286) that residents can call if they are concerned about an alligator. Trappers will be dispatched to remove the alligator.
