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Father Saves Daughter In Alligator Attack - Man Gouged Gator's Eye
Channel 6 Central Florida ^ | June 17, 2002

Posted on 06/17/2002 12:17:59 PM PDT by Shermy

SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. -- An 11-foot alligator attacked a 10-year-old Central Florida girl Sunday during a Father's Day outing, according to Local 6 News.

Megan Roe and her brother, Eric, were swimming with their father in the Withlacootchie River when they noticed what appeared to be a giant log floating near them.

The log was an 11-foot alligator that jumped out of the water and attacked the girl.

When the alligator attempted to drag her into deeper water, Megan's father jumped on it, Local 6 News reported.

"He grabbed right here, clamped on and then my dad put his finger in his eye," Eric Roe said.

When the alligator's eye was gouged, its jaws released the girl.

"My dad jumped in the water and started pulling her and then I got onto the shore and started pulling my dad," Eric Roe said.

The girl was rushed to Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando, Fla., in stable condition.

Officials closed the park on Hog Island until wildlife officials captured and destroyed the alligator.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission said that the attack might have been a territorial attack by the largest gator they've seen in the area, according to Local 6 News.

There have been about 300 alligator attacks in Florida since the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission began keeping records in 1948. Officials said that 12 of the attacks were fatal.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 06/17/2002 12:17:59 PM PDT by Shermy
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To: RedBloodedAmerican
Local ping.
2 posted on 06/17/2002 12:18:55 PM PDT by Shermy
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To: Shermy; Redbloodedamerican
WHAT DID STEVE IRWIN KNOW AND WHEN DID HE KNOW IT?!?!?!?

I demand a Congressional investigation into these "unexpected" alligator attacks immediately!!!

3 posted on 06/17/2002 12:21:02 PM PDT by Tennessee_Bob
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To: Shermy
Man Gouged Gator's Eye

Expect a lawsuit from PETA and to have his house burned down by ALF.

4 posted on 06/17/2002 12:22:02 PM PDT by Paul Atreides
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To: Shermy
Man Gouged Gator's Eye

Happy Gilmore?

5 posted on 06/17/2002 12:25:10 PM PDT by jae471
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To: Shermy
Officials closed the park on Hog Island until wildlife officials captured and destroyed the alligator.

Awww, why'd they kill it, it was just trying to eat. They should have just let it eat the kid. </sarcasm off>

6 posted on 06/17/2002 12:25:11 PM PDT by baseballfanjm
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To: Shermy

Amos Moses

(Jerry Reed)

Amos Moses was a Cajun. And lived by himself in the swamp
Hunting alligator for a living. Knock 'em on the head with a stump
The Louisiana law's gonna get you, Amos
It ain't legal hunting alligator down in the swamp, boy

Now everybody blamed his old man for raising him mean as a snake
When Amos Moses was a boy, his Daddy would use him as alligator bait
Tie a rope around his waist, throw him in the swamp
Alligator bait on the Louisiana bayou

Chorus:
Just about 45 minutes southeast of Tipidow, Louisiana
There lived a man called Duck Bill Sam and his pretty wife Hannah
They raised up a son that could eat up his weight in groceries
Named him after a man of the cloth. They called him Amos Moses

Now folks in South Louisiana said Amos was a helluva man
He could trap the biggest, meanest alligator. He only had to use one hand
That's all he got left 'cause the alligator bit him. Ha ha!
Left arm gone clean up to the elbow

Here comes Amos
And you should have seen his pretty wife, Hannah
Well, the Sheriff got wind that Amos was in the swamp hunting alligator skin
So he hid in the swamp, "I'm gonna get you boy."
He never did come out again.
Well, I wonder where the Louisiana Sheriff went to?
Sure can get lost in the Louisiana bayou
Well, I wonder where the Louisiana Sheriff went to?
Sure can get lost in the Louisiana bayou
Well, I wonder where the Louisiana Sheriff went to?
Sure can get lost in the Louisiana bayou


7 posted on 06/17/2002 12:27:28 PM PDT by Willie Green
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To: Shermy
"When the alligator attempted to drag her into deeper water, Megan's father jumped on it, Local 6 News reported. "He grabbed right here, clamped on and then my dad put his finger in his eye," Eric Roe said. "

That's what Dad's are for. Thank God for fathers.

8 posted on 06/17/2002 12:28:15 PM PDT by ex-snook
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To: Shermy

9 posted on 06/17/2002 12:28:51 PM PDT by mhking
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To: Shermy
"Dundee" Bump!

Good Dad...I love reading stuff like this.

FMCDH

10 posted on 06/17/2002 12:29:30 PM PDT by nothingnew
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To: Shermy
Thanks, PETA (People Eaten by Thrashing Amphibians).
11 posted on 06/17/2002 12:31:05 PM PDT by pabianice
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To: ex-snook
That's what Dad's are for. Thank God for fathers.

Roger ALL that!!

12 posted on 06/17/2002 12:31:06 PM PDT by martin_fierro
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To: Shermy
I guess we can start calling that gator "Curly" now...

"Nyuknyuknyuknyuknyuknyuk...(POING!) Ow! Ow! Ow!"

13 posted on 06/17/2002 12:31:31 PM PDT by RichInOC
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To: Shermy
No Offense to Lawyers

Two alligators are sitting on the edge of a swamp. The small one turns to the big one and says; I don't understand how you can be so much bigger than me. We're the same age, we were the same size as kids... I just don't get it." "Well," says the big alligator, "what have you been eating?" "Lawyers, same as you," replies the small alligator. "Hm. Well, where do you catch'em?" "Down at that law firm on the edge of the swamp." "Same here. Hm. How do you catch'em?" "Well, I crawl under a BMW and wait for someone to unlock the door. Then I jump out, bite'em, shake the sh!t out of 'em, and eat'em!" "Ah!" says the big alligator, "I think I see your problem. See, by the time you get done shakin' the sh!t out of a lawyer, there's nothing' left but lips and a briefcase..."

14 posted on 06/17/2002 12:32:16 PM PDT by gilor
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To: Shermy
All I got to say is 'Damn! That's one big gator!!'

Longer than the size of many people's bedrooms. Picture that!
15 posted on 06/17/2002 12:33:57 PM PDT by I_Publius
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To: gilor
ROFLMAO! I love it! A big thank you from us guys in Louisiana. This will be posted on numerous walls in short order.
16 posted on 06/17/2002 12:47:07 PM PDT by DETAILER
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To: Shermy
Well, at least it wasn't like that episode of South Park, where Steve Irwin was sticking his thumb up their bums.

Krikey!, That's one mean Croc. To make him give up the girl, I'll have to circle around, and stick my thumb up his bum, and then, He's powerless.

17 posted on 06/17/2002 12:50:08 PM PDT by MadRobotArtist
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To: martin_fierro
Great save dad. Hope you don't have any trouble with the kooks from PETA, afterall what is more important your daughter or the alligator?

If they do call, tell them to fu** off.

18 posted on 06/17/2002 12:59:30 PM PDT by chiefqc
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To: Shermy
Way to go!!!! I would carry a knife and just carve the critter's eye(s) out. This guy reminds me of the fellow who dragged the shark onto the shore and saved his nephew's (son's?) life. Happened in FL too.

FL has a lot of nasty wildlife and you have to respect them.

19 posted on 06/17/2002 1:05:09 PM PDT by dennisw
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To: Shermy
When the alligator's eye was gouged, its jaws released the girl.

Did he get this move off a WWF?

20 posted on 06/17/2002 1:06:44 PM PDT by dennisw
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To: Tennessee_Bob
WHAT DID STEVE IRWIN KNOW AND WHEN DID HE KNOW IT?!?!?!?

On being informed of the incident, Steve had the following to say...

"By crackee, he's a BEAUTY! You're alright sweetheart."

21 posted on 06/17/2002 1:10:50 PM PDT by Prince Caspian
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To: Shermy
Cool. He wins the Crocodile Dundee award for this week.
22 posted on 06/17/2002 1:27:34 PM PDT by HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity
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To: Shermy
Does the same technique work for sharks?
23 posted on 06/17/2002 1:29:08 PM PDT by HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity
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To: Shermy
Yeesh. I stopped wading the flats in Scottsmoor when I saw a HUGE gator swim by. Not the way to go.
24 posted on 06/17/2002 1:31:18 PM PDT by RedBloodedAmerican
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To: Shermy
This deadly protected "endangered" species now numbers in the MILLIONS, and that we force our children to live among gigantic predators with big teeth that occasionally eat them. This little girl was lucky. She was almost a testament to our madness.
25 posted on 06/17/2002 1:47:08 PM PDT by Williams
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To: Williams
Liberal media please take note, this father was a hero. He did something that he didn't have to do. He saved his daughter while endangering himself. The media has the mistaken idea that people who are killed or injured through no act other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time are heroes.
26 posted on 06/17/2002 1:55:54 PM PDT by Cowgirl
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To: HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity
Yup and it's a great move for self defense against muggers.
27 posted on 06/17/2002 1:58:11 PM PDT by B4Ranch
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To: B4Ranch
They should teach it to kids as an anti-pedophile maneuver.
28 posted on 06/17/2002 1:59:55 PM PDT by HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity
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To: HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity
I taught it to mine when they were just kids.
29 posted on 06/17/2002 2:02:43 PM PDT by B4Ranch
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To: Shermy
The dad was a dork for having his kids swim in ANY Florida river. Thats friggin Alligator Central. But at least he had the cajones to wrestle his daughter out of there.
30 posted on 06/17/2002 2:12:37 PM PDT by Delbert
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To: Delbert
Just an amen to your post. Don't people realize that gators are in those rivers?
31 posted on 06/17/2002 2:27:07 PM PDT by OldPossum
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To: Delbert
The dad was a dork for having his kids swim in ANY Florida river. Thats friggin Alligator Central.

That was my first thought, but thank G-d dad was able to save his little girl.

32 posted on 06/17/2002 2:27:51 PM PDT by scholar
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To: RedBloodedAmerican
OK, I won't even ask the question again. LOL
33 posted on 06/17/2002 2:29:23 PM PDT by Mark17
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To: Mark17
But, it had to be the girls fault. I mean, the animals were here first, right?
34 posted on 06/17/2002 2:30:12 PM PDT by RedBloodedAmerican
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To: Paul Atreides
Yes I thought the same thing about Peta.
35 posted on 06/17/2002 2:41:44 PM PDT by Mfkmmof4
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To: RedBloodedAmerican
But, it had to be the girls fault. I mean, the animals were here first, right?

Well, more than likely, that is what you know who would say. Ping her, I dare you. LOL

36 posted on 06/17/2002 2:46:16 PM PDT by Mark17
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To: ALL
I feel sorry for the girl...but people better realize that when they are in wildlife territory and since their food is getting more sparse every year....they better keep their radar up and expect stuff like this. But, I suppose most people want to blame the gator....
When I go in the ocean...I realize I could get bit by a shark...my risk. Can't blame the shark.
37 posted on 06/17/2002 4:03:10 PM PDT by Sungirl
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To: Sungirl
Exactly, same goes for taking your kids to mass........... :-P
38 posted on 06/17/2002 4:27:32 PM PDT by Texaggie79
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To: Texaggie79
primitive apology............
39 posted on 06/17/2002 4:28:00 PM PDT by Texaggie79
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To: Shermy
"He grabbed right here, clamped on and then my dad put his finger in his eye,"

The eye must be the only place on this armored reptile that is vulnerable to bare-handed attack.

40 posted on 06/17/2002 6:09:23 PM PDT by LibKill
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To: Shermy
I always figured if I got attacked by a dog I'd gouge its eyes out. Glad to know it works on alligators anyway.
41 posted on 06/17/2002 6:11:45 PM PDT by Aquinasfan
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To: LibKill
The eye must be the only place on this armored reptile that is vulnerable to bare-handed attack.

There's a posterior opening that might be a bit more messy, but might be just as effective if ripped open... :)

Additionally, I'd think the throat area would be prone to tearing if one's fingers were able to poke into it hard enough.

42 posted on 06/17/2002 6:15:53 PM PDT by FormerLurker
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To: Aquinasfan
"I always figured if I got attacked by a dog I'd gouge its eyes out. "

Dogs have very powerful necks, and can turn their heads so fast that you would have little chance. Larger dogs have teeth and jaws that can easily break your arm, and then they pull and shake, which breaks and shreds even more things.

If attacked by a large dog, and there is no other thing to do (DON'T run! If you do, you will be on the ground fast, and then your head and neck will be mauled faster than you can believe), do the following:

Right hander: Lower yourself just a tiny bit, right foot back, leg straight and locked, left leg in front, knee bent slightly, braced for being hit hard. Extend your left forearm of your weak hand (left handers,please reverse) out in front of you, blocking. Make sure the forearm is high enough that the dog has to jump. He will go for it. Keep that forearm between the head of the dog and your neck, as far in front of you as you can, make a fist, and be prepared to have that forearm shredded. As soon as the dog leaps, use your right hand to grab the nearest front leg, now off the ground. Endure the blinding pain, and twist and yank that leg and do your best to break it and rip it right off of the dog.

Twist, rip, pull, yank, and shake it. Their legs are like kindling. Do NOT let go! Do NOT fall down! When he lets go (and he will), hang onto that leg and start spinning as fast as you can, twisting the leg, and throw the dog as far and high as you can. You will survive, and the dog will not come back.

43 posted on 06/17/2002 9:48:07 PM PDT by MonroeDNA
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Girl Recalls Father's Battle With Alligator - Roe Bitten While Floating On Raft

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A Central Florida girl is telling a harrowing story of being pulled from the jaws of a 400-pound alligator by her dad.

Megan Roe, 10, and her brother were rafting along the Withlacoochee River in Sumter County Saturday, WESH NewsChannel 2 reported.

That's when an 11-foot alligator latched on to her leg, and her father grabbed hold of the gator's head, officials said.

"He pulled me up, and when he got hold of me, he put his fingers in the gator's eyes so it would let me go," Roe said.

Megan said her father, Earl Roe, is a hero for saving her life. He said it's something any parent would have done with their child's life in danger.

44 posted on 06/21/2002 1:08:12 PM PDT by Shermy
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