Posted on 07/31/2008 2:42:31 PM PDT by BBell
On a day typical in its heat and humidity, with the end of summer vacation fast approaching, a swim in a neighborhood pond seemed a fine idea to 11-year-old Devin Funck and two of his friends.
Big Joe had other ideas.
At 10 feet, 8 inches long and weighing an estimated 500 pounds, the alligator was a familiar sight in the ponds abutting Kingspoint and Fox Hollow subdivisions near Slidell, familiar enough that locals long ago gave the reptile its ominous nickname.
As Devin and his companions splashed and frolicked in Crystal Lake on Wednesday afternoon, they spotted the imposing creature swimming toward them. They darted toward shore, but the alligator overtook Devin and pulled him under.
Big Joe bit Devin's left arm off, all the way to the shoulder. The boy managed to get free, but he was critically hurt.
Devin's rescue by authorities in St. Tammany Parish was to assume epic proportions. About 3 1/2 hours later, he was in surgery at Ochsner Medical Center, with surgeons working to reattached the severed arm, recovered from the belly of the beast by daring law enforcement officers.
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
Maybe this will be on Dirty Jobs....Limb Retriever.
Why were they swiming in a pond , when they knew Big Joe was in there?
NEVER swim in fresh water in Florida or Louisiana, unless you want to become lunch.
Because they’re 11 year old kids.
I heard about this on Fox this AM. Has there been any word whether the surgery was successful?
By the way...did yall see the article awhile back where scientists think they can't make new antibiotics using the gator's immunity. I always wondered what they were good for besides eating and boots.
/johnny
Well now they know, and knowing’s half the battle. The other half is getting his arm re-attached.
Have the same hang-ups about surfers and sharks. Don't like the prospect of being eaten while trying to do something fun.
Yall still have those beautiful beaches on the Gulf side? It's been many years but I can still remember how clear the water was.
Has Peta filed a complaint yet?
Swimming with Big Joe?
“Here, hold muh pop can”
(someday when these kids gorw up, to become “Here, hold muh beer”)
Naw never make the show...poo wasn’t involved.
It was not successful............. poor little guy.
It looks like he is going to survive but they were unable to reattach the arm. To much tissue damage.
In truth we all probably did dangerous stuff. I liked playing on train tracks :’(
A 5 footer ate our daughters friends dog about a week ago here in Bama in their pond,just like chicken.
My years in Florida (1991-1994, 1999-2002) were spent entirely on the Atlantic Coast (Boca Raton and Miami to be precise), where the water was turqoise. Nice beaches up in the panhandle on the gulf side. I’ve always been disappointed with the beaches in St. Pete, however.
Oh, how sad. The kid is lucky (actually blessed) to have escaped with his life. I still wish the reactachment had worked.
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