Albert Miller does not want to see or touch an alligator for the remainder of his life. That is because he would not have any life remaining if his friends were not on hand to save him from a 9-foot alligator on the golf course last week. According to The Ledger, the 75-year-old was playing golf on a Florida course when his ball rolled into the water after a bad shot. He went over with his ball retriever to look for it, and things went downhill from there.
The 75-year-old Miller only saw two balls in the water that weren’t his, so he gave up and turned to walk away. At that point, he says, an alligator launched out of the water and grabbed him by the left knee.
“He lifted me up three feet and slammed me down,” Miller said. “It was excruciating to say the least.”
Miller’s friend, 66-year-old Ted Price, ran over to help along with the two others who were in their foursome. The alligator began dragging Miller into the water before suddenly letting go.
“He let me go,” he said. “I was three feet from my life. He had me submerged up to my belt buckle. That was my miracle of the month.”
Price described Miller’s leg as a “mess” after the alligator let him go. He and the other golfers drove Miller to the front to meet an ambulance, and he later required 35 to 40 stitches to mend one 10-inch wound and two other five-inch wounds. Although he says you could see right through to the bone when it happened, it seems as though Miller is going to be fine. Trappers captured the alligator and weighed it in at 190 pounds. Remind me to stick to New England golf courses from now on.
H/T Eye on Golf
Photo credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE
