Rachael Lilienthal watched in horror as the alligator bit off her entire arm as she swam near Orlando.
A woman who was swimming in a Florida river when her right arm was suddenly chewed off by a monster alligator is speaking out about the terrifying ordeal.
"I was not aware that it was an alligator at first," Rachael Lilienthal said. "Sure enough, when it clamped my arm, a big old gator’s head sitting right there, that was most definitely an alligator."
Lilienthal, 37, was swimming in a picturesque river near Orlando when the nine-foot-long beast came out of nowhere.
In a 911 call, a person is heard saying: “There was a lady swimming in the water and she got attacked by an alligator.”
Lilienthal can be heard screaming in pain in the dramatic call.
“The alligator bit off her arm. We need medical assistance ASAP,” said the caller.
The 911 operator said: “Tell me exactly what happened. Did the alligator completely bite her arm off?”
The caller responded: “Yes, it completely bit her arm off -- right at the shoulder.”
Then the 911 operator asked: “Is she awake?”
“She is awake. She is bleeding out a lot,” said the caller.
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Lilienthal said of the attack: “He tore me, clawed my whole stomach and my back.”
The alligator also tore off her swimsuit - and spat it out. It was later found hanging from a tree branch.
She was rescued by Casey Spencer and his girlfriend Krista Karlsen, who were kayaking nearby.
Karlsen told IE" “I yelled at Casey to start hitting the alligator. He started hitting it with his paddle.” It worked – the alligator let Lilienthal go.
“The gator did take off with my arm. I thought, ‘Thank God he's gone,’ and then I’m like, ‘Oh my God, he's gone with my arm.’ That's when I started to panic,” said Lilienthal.
The Wekiva River is a popular swimming spot, but certain stretches are known to be infested by alligators.
Brave Lilienthal, a Spanish professor, is learning to use her left arm, and she’s receiving messages of love and support from across America.
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