‘I just got bit by a gator.’ Florida teenager attacked while swimming in the creek
A day out swimming with his younger brother turned into an unforgettable nightmare for a Florida teenager.
Gabriel Klimis, 13, is now telling his harrowing story about how he was bitten by an alligator in Howell Creek in Winter Springs, about 15 miles north of Orlando, around 6:45 p.m. Tuesday.
The Oviedo resident he had just swung from a rope plunging into the 17.2 mile stream, when a gator chomped down on his right hip area and tried to drag him under. The boy managed to throw a nearby stick at the reptile, punch it and escape its massive jaws.
“I just feel like relieved and thankful ‘coz like I could have not been here right now,” Gabriel told lifestyle TV show “Inside Edition,” which aired the 911 call the teen made after the reptile run-in.
“I can walk. I just got bit by a gator,” he calmly tells the dispatcher. “It just stings a little bit, but I’m good.”
Though he is recuperating well from his injury, Gabriel still has to take antibiotics to ward off infection.
Mom Allison recently started a GoFundMe for her son’s care.
“My son was suddenly bitten by a gator recently,” says the online fundraiser that had raised more than $3,000 of its $10,000 goal by Monday. “By the grace of God his life and limbs were spared ... God bless any and all who wish to help Gabriel and our family in this traumatic time.”
READ MORE: Florida woman encounters alligator in the pool
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed last week’s attack.
“On June 20, 2023, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) received a report of a juvenile who was bitten by an alligator near Howell Creek in Seminole County,” said a statement. “The FWC responded to the scene and the victim was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. A trapper was dispatched and the FWC is investigating the incident.”
An eight-footer was reportedly caught that same evening in the creek, but it’s still unclear whether it is the same alligator that bit Gabriel.
The Winter Springs Police Department posted a warning a day after the incident reminding folks of the dangers of being near water in the Sunshine State, especially during peak alligator mating season, which runs May through June:
“During this time, there is an increase in alligator activity in and around Winter Springs and our waterways,” said the agency’s post, which added a few safety tips and rules:
“Keep your pets on a leash and never walk them at the edge of a body of water.”
“Closely supervise children when they are playing in and around water.”
“Swim only during daylight hours.”
“Never feed alligators; it’s dangerous and illegal.”
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