An 85-year-old woman was dragged to her death by an 11-foot alligator in a Florida retirement community in February 2023. Gloria Serge was walking her Shih Tzu, Trooper, near a pond at Spanish Lakes Fairways when the alligator lunged.
Attack and final words
Her neighbor, Carol Thomas, witnessed the attack. She heard a noise, saw Gloria on the ground, and the alligator grab her leg. Gloria surfaced for air, pushed back her hair, and Carol urged her to swim toward an overturned paddle boat. Gloria replied, “I can’t. The gator has me!”
Carol grabbed a metal pole to hit the alligator on the nose, but Gloria never resurfaced. Her body was dragged to the bottom of the lake. The dog was unharmed.
Expert advice and family reaction
Amy Kight, Executive Director of Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, advised people to stay 15 to 20 feet from alligators, not to feed or bother them. Gloria’s son expressed grief over his mother’s violent final moments.
The alligator was caught and euthanized. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said residents should remain vigilant and report concerns, but noted no one was monitoring the lakes at the time.
