A sports-loving 11-year-old boy has lost his right hand after an alligator attacked him during a family fishing trip to Florida.
Brodie Terry was on the shore at Nelson’s Fish Camp close to Umatilla, where the horror unfolded on June 27.
He was releasing a fish back into the river when a terrifying eight-and-a-half-foot alligator emerged from the water and pounced on him.
One family member, Andrew Raines, said the boy’s father heroically risked his life by fighting off the apex predator.
‘Brodie’s father jumped into the water on top of it and tried to pry his mouth open,’ Raines told News 6 Orlando.
‘The gator rolled, and that’s what ultimately severed Brodie’s hand.’
Brodie was rushed to the hospital, where surgeons resorted to amputating his hand at the wrist after trying to save the limb through multiple operations.
He was released on Friday and returned home to Pennsylvania with his family where he is still recovering from the trauma.
Brodie Terry, 11, lost his right hand after an alligator attacked him on the shore during a family fishing trip to Florida
Brodie loved baseball and fishing, making the injury particularly devastating for him
Raines said the injury is particularly devastating for Brodie because baseball and fishing were ‘the two loves of his life.’
‘If he wasn’t playing baseball, he was fishing,’ he told News 6.
Brodie’s family also described the attack as a ‘life-altering event’ on a fundraising page launched to cover his medical expenses.
‘This tragic accident has not only changed Brodie’s life but has also placed a tremendous burden on his family as they navigate the aftermath,’ the GoFundMe reads.
‘Brodie’s passion for fishing, baseball and football have always brought him joy, and now he faces the challenge of adapting to his new circumstances while holding onto the things he loves.’
‘Your donation will help his family focus on his recovery and give Brodie the opportunity to pursue his passions once again,’ the fundraiser adds.
The attack came on the same day a much-loved female construction worker living in Orlando was killed during another horrific alligator attack in the Sunshine State.
Brittany Clark, 31, had been enjoying a hike in the picturesque Little Big Econ State Forest with her boyfriend and friend when they took a dip in a river just after 1.30pm.
Brodie’s had just caught a fish and was releasing it back into the river when an eight-and-a-half-foot alligator emerged from the water on June 27
Brodie was rushed to the hospital, where surgeons resorted to amputating his hand at the wrist after trying to save the limb through multiple operations
The family was on vacation at Nelson’s Fish Camp (pictured above) in north-central Florida
Chilling 911 audio from the scene previously revealed how a gator stealthily approached the trio before viciously attacking Clark by tearing off both of her arms.
A medical examiner’s report obtained by the Daily Mail gave more details about Clark’s final moments, including how her boyfriend heroically fought the gator even as it dragged them both underwater into a ‘death roll.’
A ‘death roll’ is a technique alligators use to subdue prey by violently twisting onto their backs before attempting to pull the victim underwater to drown them.
Her father, military veteran Robert Clark, also opened up to the Daily Mail about the awful moment he learned of her fate when her friend called him from the scene.
Clark gave a harrowing rundown of the frantic phone call they shared as his daughter lay dying on a river bank, while criticizing Florida wildlife officials for failing to erect signs warning people about the dangers on the popular hiking trail.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the alligators involved in both the attacks on Brittany and Brodie have been euthanized.
Attacks on humans are rare in the US, according to the Florida Wildlife Commission, but alligators are more territorial during mating season, which lasts from April until the end of June.
