We have fun with all these crazy stories about people being attacked by animals.

Eric Merda decided to explore a swamp in Florida during his downtime on a summer Sunday. He ended up lost and suffering alone for days after an alligator bit off his right arm. Now, he’s sharing his nightmare survival story. https://t.co/YzMFAZiSCl pic.twitter.com/tuHZw81O89

— The New York Times (@nytimes) September 15, 2022

He went swimming in a Florida swamp, and the alligator tore off his arm.

Eric Merda, 43, fought to survive in Florida swampland after an alligator ripped off his arm.

“The pain was absolutely excruciating,” he said. “I mean, I didn’t stop screaming.”https://t.co/oI2AkVzWGX

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) September 12, 2022

What did he learn from all this? Alligators aren’t harmless like in the cartoons.

Unless it’s Burt Reynolds, don’t go swimming with a gator.

“Fear is a good thing,” Merda told the Times. Those are words to live by.