Fla woman attacked by gator dies!!!

[bfez1]

Fla. woman attacked by alligator dies
Landscaper died in surgery two days after incidentMSNBC News Services
Updated: 12:19 p.m. ET July 23, 2004SANIBEL, Fla. - A woman mauled by a 12-foot alligator died in surgery Friday, WBBH-TV reported.


Janie Melsek, a landscaper, was attacked behind a home on Wednesday. The 54-year-old woman was dragged into a pond before a neighbor and police officers yanked her from the animal’s jaws.

Part of Melsek’s right arm had to be amputated. She also was severely bitten on her buttocks and thighs. She was undergoing additional surgery Friday morning at Lee Memorial Hospital when she died.

Melsek was trimming a tree when the alligator lunged at her and grabbed her arm. “The lady was in the pond and the alligator had hold of her and just her face was showing,” a neighbor, Jim Anholt, told The News-Press of Fort Myers.

“It was kind of a tug-of-war,” said Anholt, who held Melsek’s neck to keep her head above water as three Sanibel police officers tried to get her out of the pond.

Rescuers struggled for about five minutes to get her away from the alligator. When she came free, medical workers began treating her on the shore.

Police later shot the alligator in the head. It took six men to lift the 12-foot, 3-inch animal to shore.

[Skywatch_NC]

Prayers and thoughts for this woman's family.

Eric

[Miss Mary]

OMG, I was hoping she'd survive. Prayers and thoughts going out to her family indeed. Very sad story.

Mary

[Stephanie]

I'm so sorry to hear that! My thoughts and prayers also go to the family!

[GalvestonDuck]

So sad!! I'm praying for them also.

[Guest]

That's awful. I thought for sure she would survive. The people who rescued her gave it a good shot. May she rest in peace.
...Jennifer...

[Wnghs2007]

Awww this is just terrible. Man that has to suck. Prayers to her friends and family I send.

[Rainband]

Prayers on the way Tony told me when I got home from work, I was shocked

[Aquawind]

Wow..I just read this..I am going to visit a good friend who is staying on the island less than a hour away..She got mangled up more than I first read..

http://vh40039.vh4.infi.net/news/local_ ... rfolo.html

[GrimReaper]

As any of us who live in Florida know, alligators are an omnipresent threat during warm weather. Any fresh water pond is a potential danger, and I never let my daughter go down to an unknown body of water.....especially when walking the dog. I have read that gators are supposed to have an "understanding" if it's prey is too large to capture...but obviously this isn't totally true. My prayers to this woman's family.


On the lighter side...one can always triumph by having a little cajun fried gator tail for dinner..yummy!!!