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A swimming trip on the Silver River near Ray Wayside Park in Marion County, Florida, turned into a life-threatening emergency over the summer when Dina Spann, 58, was attacked by an alligator. According to newly released 911 call recordings, witnesses described the chaotic aftermath as they sought immediate help for Spann, who lost her right arm below the elbow and part of a finger on her left hand in the attack.
One of the emergency calls, obtained by the New York Post, captured a woman telling the dispatcher, "Somebody got bit by an alligator, I think her arm got bit — it's dangling off." She added, "She lost half an arm." In a second call, another witness stated, "Her arm is gone," while screams and crying could be heard in the background.
Spann's son, Zach Guerrina, told the Post that his mother fought to survive during the attack. Guerrina explained that Spann "was trying to hold its mouth shut, swimming to the top to get a breath of fresh air and keep it from biting on her legs." He said she was focused on protecting herself from further injury.
Eyewitness John Gamache told WRBW that he saw the alligator’s "head way above the water and going full speed" toward the swimmers. Gamache rushed to help, describing the injury as "bones poking out, blood everywhere," and emphasized, "Obviously, the minutes mattered." He later received a call from Spann’s family thanking him for his help, which he called heartwarming.
State wildlife officials removed a nine-foot, eight-inch alligator from the river the day after the attack. The river was later reopened to the public.