Transcript for Zoo handler survives gator attack
We are back now with that shocking gator attack at a petting zoo all caught on camera. The alligator clamping down on a zoo handler’s hand, not letting go until two guests leaped into action. Will reeve has all the details on that very close call. Good morning, will. Reporter: Good morning, Amy. It’s surreal video of a worst case scenario, exactly what you would be afraid of having happen if you were around an alligator. The handler is okay, thanks in large part to those actions of the good samaritans jumping in, literally, to save her, one of them wrestling the alligator and speaking to ABC news. This morning, a petting zoo worker recovering from this horrifying alligator encounter in Utah. Here the alligator clamping its jaws down on the unidentified handler’s left hand, dragging her into the water as stunned visitors including these young children stand just feet from the surreal scene. The only thing predictable about these animals is they’re unpredict b8. She remaininged calm and made sure that alligator do what’s called a death roll. Reporter: The alligator thrashing around with the handler’s arm in its teeth and Donnie Wiseman trying to free the woman and despite his lack of experience wrestling it pinning it down. Took everybody a second to realize what was going on. And I seen it happen. I was like, whoa, what do you want me to do? The handler still trapped giving instructions as a second good samaritan, Todd Christopher offers support. Finally the handler able to escape as Donnie continues to struggle with the gator until it’s safe to flee. I was just thinking myself once I was freed. I need to be out safely. I’m aware of what this can do. I saw it firsthand waiting for him to stop shaking me. When I felt comfortable I was thinking, you can’t slip. You can’t slip. Reporter: Another bystander helping administer aid until emts arrive. The petting zoo sharing its thanks posting on Facebook in part, these gentlemen could have stayed in the safety zone as most of us would but instead jumped into the situation of their own volition and helped secure the alligator. Overnight the injured handler sharing an update via the zoo’s page saying she expects to have full use of her hand thanking everyone who has reached out to her adding it’s made recovery feel so much more manageable. That brave, brave man, Donnie who jumped in to wrestle the alligator gave all the credit to the handler for her composure and forgiving out those instructions while her arm was trapped. He said that she saved everyone’s lives and called her the real hero. Wow. A humble hero indeed, will, I mean, Donnie, that was impressive, wow. I agree. Glad afternoon is okay.
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