The internet has always warned you not to mess with a Florida man! And we will tell you another reason why!
A 74-year-old man, Louise Willbanks, jumped into a pond full of alligators without a second thought to rescue his 3-month-old Spaniel, Gunner, when an alligator raced up from the nearby pond and grabbed the dog.
An Unwitting Hero
Willbanks was walking his dog near his retirement home in Estero, Florida when the alligator shot out of the pond and went for Gunner.
Willbanks states that he could have never imagined that a gator could move so fast. He is astounded at how it came out of the water like a “missile”.
The pup dad, without a second thought, raced after Gunner and tried to extract him from the mouth of the Gator with his bare hands!
Nobody would have believed his daring move if it wasn’t for the cameras set up by the Florida Wildlife Federation and the fSTOP Foundation as a part of the research project, which captured the encounter.
“Adrenalin just kicked in and I jumped into action”, he recalls. For 20 seconds, but what might have seemed like an hour, Wilbanks wrestled with the Gator.
He is then seen emerging out of the water (with the cigar still in his mouth!). As he moves to the edge of the pond, he pries Gunner out of the gator’s mouth and sets him free.
See the entire scenario captured in the below video
The Internet goes ga ga over the pup love
The internet was mesmerized by this viral Video.
Some of the comments mentioned how their faith in humanity was restored because of this singular act of love.
“Anyone who loves his dog that much is the example of the best of humanity”, one of them stated.
Some of them were amazed at how he did not drop his cigar the whole time, even when submerged in water.
“And he didn’t even drop his cigar. The MAN level of this man is legendary”, one person writes astounded.
Some users jokingly commented on how the alligator made the biggest mistake of his life by messing with someone from the Sunshine State.
“It was extremely careless, dangerous, and downright reckless for the gator to mess with Florida man”, one person jests.
“So Tarzan isn’t dead. He’s just retired and living in Florida”, another person adds in a humorous banter.
The Aftermath of this tale of love and courage
Gunner paid a visit to his vet and has fortunately escaped with only a small puncture wound in his stomach. Willbanks suffered a few cuts but feels his hands are still “chewed up”.
This story of love between man and pup has left everyone gooey-eyed and emotionally touched.
We wish both these heroes a wonderful life ahead.
And Gunner, Buddy, we hope you will always take care of your Pup Dad too!
Hey, I’m Riya Jogi, a keen educator, guest lecturer and a graduate of marketing studies. With my passion for child development, I strive to make every word count. Developing strategies, ideas and easy ways of learning is what inspires me! I’m hoping to create a more inclusive and positive world for every learner and educators out there.