An 85-year-old grandmother was walking her dog when an enormous alligator suddenly emerged from a lake and dragged her into the water. Her neighbor, who desperately tried to save her, has now recalled the heartbreaking final words she heard.
Gloria Serge lived in Spanish Lakes Fairways, a peaceful 435-acre retirement community in Florida surrounded by several lakes. Wild alligators inhabit the waters, and residents are accustomed to seeing them around the neighborhood.
But in February 2023, a routine walk with Serge’s Shih Tzu, Trooper, turned into a terrifying tragedy.
An 11-foot alligator suddenly lunged out of the lake, apparently targeting the small dog. It missed Trooper but caught Serge by the ankle instead, pulling her into the water.
Her neighbor and friend, Carol Thomas, witnessed the horrifying incident.
The Horror Thomas Saw From the Bank
Thomas later described the incident to the Daily Star. She recalled hearing something unusual and looking toward the lake, only to see Serge already in the water.
Trooper was running up the hill, trying to get away. Then Thomas noticed the massive alligator emerging from the lake with its jaws clamped around Serge’s leg.
Serge managed to surface briefly for air. Thomas remembered seeing her brush the hair away from her eyes while stretching one arm outward.
An overturned paddle boat was floating nearby. Desperate to help, Thomas shouted for Serge to swim toward it, hoping she could push it far enough for her friend to grab hold.
But Serge shouted back with four heartbreaking words:
“The gator has me!”
Thomas grabbed a metal pole and attempted to strike the alligator on its snout. Unfortunately, her efforts made no difference.
Serge disappeared beneath the water again and did not resurface. The alligator reportedly dragged her body to the bottom of the lake.
Trooper survived the attack without suffering any injuries.
Thomas later reflected on the helplessness she felt while watching the incident unfold.
“There’s nothing you can do,” she said. “Just kind of haunted by that, you know, I don’t know what else I could’ve done.”
Lakes With No One Watching
Following the attack, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission captured the alligator and had it killed.
In Florida, alligators responsible for attacking people are generally removed and euthanized rather than relocated. Authorities consider such animals a serious danger, as relocated alligators may return to familiar areas.
The wildlife agency also advised residents to maintain their distance from the animals. Officials acknowledged that nobody was supervising the community’s lakes and encouraged residents to contact them if they had concerns.
Amy Kight, executive director of Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter, emphasized the importance of keeping a safe distance from alligators.
She recommended staying at least 15 to 20 feet away from them.
“Do not feed them, do not mess with them, do not try to befriend them,” she warned. “Let them live their life, you do yours and you shouldn’t run into any problems.”
At a press conference following the tragedy, Serge’s son spoke about the devastating impact of losing his mother in such a violent and unexpected way.
“I never could have imagined the agonizing way that my mother spent the last moments of her life,” he said.
He added, “The sudden, violent nature of this attack, thinking about my mom in her final moments, resulted in a whole different level of all-consuming grief.”
