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Florida man survives 3 days in woods after losing arm in gator attack

Eric Merda was attacked on July 17 in Myakka City

American alligator (File photo) (Ferenc Cegledi, Getty Images)

MYAKKA CITY, Fla. – A man who survived three days in the woods after losing his arm to an alligator in Myakka City earlier in the summer recently shared the story of his grueling ordeal.

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According to a report from WTSP, Eric Merda was lost in the woods around Lake Manatee on July 17 and decided to try to swim across the lake rather than walk around.

“Not the smartest decision a Florida boy could make,” Merda said in his interview with WTSP.

During the swim, a gator attacked and tore the man’s arm off, he told WTSP. Merda then wandered for three days in the woods before finding another person who called for help.

You can read the whole story from WTSP here.

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