Brittany Clark, 31, was ambushed by a large alligator while cooling off in the murky waters of the Econlockhatchee River at Little Big Econ State Forest in Florida. Her boyfriend, Chance Allison, 30, fought desperately to save her but witnessed the horrific attack unfold right before his eyes.

The nature-loving couple was hiking with Brittany’s roommate, Jayden Hernandez, when they stopped to swim in about three feet of water. Without warning, the alligator — estimated at 12-13 feet long — grabbed Brittany by the arm and began its violent “death roll.” Chance immediately jumped in and grabbed the beast in an attempt to free her, but the struggle pulled both him and Brittany underwater.

Tragically, the alligator tore off one of Brittany’s arms and left the other “hanging by a thread.” Despite Chance and Jayden’s frantic efforts to stop the bleeding and perform CPR on shore, Brittany succumbed to her catastrophic injuries after being rushed to the hospital.

In an emotional social media post, a devastated Chance shared his heartbreak:

“I’m just still in disbelief of what took place. We had so many things planned out and memories to be made. You were such a special person and did not deserve to go out in such a way.”

He added that he would care for Brittany’s beloved pets, Shady the cat and Hokie the dog, and is organizing a “celebration of life” in her honor. Chance acknowledged the outpouring of support, saying the kind messages were helping him “hold together just as much as I’m falling apart.”

Brittany’s father, Robert Clark, described receiving a harrowing phone call from Jayden while the rescue efforts were still underway. The family is also grieving the recent loss of Robert’s mother.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers captured and euthanized two large alligators from the area. A chilling 911 call captured the chaos, with screams and desperate pleas for help as the group tried to save Brittany.

This tragic incident serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers posed by Florida’s wild alligator population, even in seemingly shallow waters.