Girl, 31, killed by alligator whereas swimming with mates was ‘fun-loving spirit’

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. (WESH) – A 31-year-old Florida girl who was fatally bitten by an alligator whereas swimming with mates is being remembered as an outgoing, wonderful and fun-loving particular person.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says 31-year-old Brittany Clark died after she was attacked by an alligator Sunday afternoon whereas swimming along with her boyfriend, Chance Allison, and different mates within the Econlockhatchee River.

Allison known as the state of affairs a nightmare in a textual content message assertion to NBC and mentioned Clark was the strongest particular person he knew.

“Brittany was such an amazing and caring person and didn’t deserve to go out in such a way,” he mentioned. “She was the strongest and most outgoing person I’ve ever met in my 30 years of life.”

He added that Clark cherished going out on the water “every chance she could.”

“Never in a million years would we have seen this nightmare come about,” he mentioned.

Clark, Allison and mates have been mountaineering within the Little Big Econ State Forest on Sunday once they stopped to swim within the river round 1:30 p.m. Wildlife officers say they have been in about 3 toes of water when Clark was bitten by an alligator.

Allison stepped in to assist, attempting to get her out of the alligator’s mouth, in keeping with officers.

Multiple 911 calls launched Monday detailed the frantic response. The caller described Clark’s accidents, saying, “Both her arms are dislocated … off basically … one arm is completely off.”

Clark died on the best way to the hospital.

A GoFundMe has been set up to assist return Clark’s stays to her mother and father in California, the place she’s from. The fundraiser says the 31-year-old was “an amazing person and a fun-loving soul.” She was an avid bike rider who cherished her canine.

Following the assault, wildlife officers say they captured and killed two alligators – one, a 13-foot gator close to the place Clark was bitten and the opposite, a 12.5-foot gator a half mile away.

To verify if both of the gators have been concerned within the lethal assault, the FWC is submitting DNA samples to a lab in Gainesville for testing.

There have been three reported alligator assaults inside seven days in Central Florida. Experts are reminding individuals to solely swim in designated areas, maintain their distance from the reptiles and by no means feed them.