A central Florida man is recovering after an 8-foot alligator clamped down on his hand while he was working near a canal.
Doug Brown was working on his mother's irrigation pump in the canal off Lake Eustis in Tavares Wednesday when he nearly became gator feed.
"I didn't even think I was going to have a life. When he latched on, I was going in the water. He was big enough to pull me in, no problem," Brown told WESH.
Brown was able to pull his hand away but had to be hospitalized for his injuries. Trappers were able to catch the gator.
"If it wasn't me, it could have been one of my stepdaughters or a young kid and they wouldn't have the strength to pull their hand out. They'd be in the water with them," Brown said.
