A grieving man is struggling to come to terms with the loss of his girlfriend in a horrific alligator attack in Florida. Brittany Clark, 31, a construction worker from Orlando, was swimming in the Econlockhatchee River in Seminole County when a massive gator pounced on her and ripped her arms apart.
Chance Allison, Clark's boyfriend, shared a heartfelt Facebook post describing the incident and his overwhelming grief. "I'm just still in disbelief of what took place," he wrote. "We had so many things planned out and memories to be made." Allison added that he is working on organizing a "celebration of life get together" for Clark's loved ones to honor her memory.
A shocking 911 call revealed the details of the vicious attack. Allison tried desperately to free Clark from the massive gator's jaws, while Clark's roommate begged paramedics to rush to the scene. Audio from the frantic call included Allison pleading for help, saying "Bad, real bad, please, hurry … she's losing a lot of blood … we need to stop the blood." Clark's roommate added that "one of her arms is completely off and the other one is, like, attached barely. Please hurry, that's my best friend."
Clark died on the way to the hospital from "multiple blunt force injuries of the upper extremities," according to a medical examiner report. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission stated that Clark did not appear to have done anything "malicious" to provoke the alligator and had been swimming in "about three feet of water" at the time of the attack. Two alligators found in the area were captured and killed, and an investigation into the incident remains active.
Brittany's father has since blasted wildlife authorities for not doing more to warn people of the dangers in Florida waters. "Nothing was done, no barriers put up, no warnings saying, 'This is infested with alligators right now, think twice about stepping in the water,'" Robert Clark said. He added that the state should take action to deal with the thriving wildlife population.
An FWC spokesman responded that serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida, and the agency places the highest priority on public safety. The FWC extends its deepest sympathies to the victim's family and loved ones, and notes that a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) is in place to address complaints concerning specific alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with the costs of Clark's funeral, raising over $10,000 so far. Clark and Allison had been planning to start a family together, and she was excited to have found "the one that's gonna take care of me forever." Her father notes that this is the second tragedy in as many weeks for the family, as they are also dealing with the death of his mother in California.
