The 28-Year-Old Man Uttered Three Reckless Words Moments Before Being F@tally Att@cked by an Alligator in Texas
Tommie Woodward was only 28 when he passed (Image: Facebook)
A man spoke three haunting words moments before diving into a lake where he was fatally attacked by a massive alligator.
Tommie Woodward, 28, was living and working in Texas when he decided to take a late-night swim following an evening of pool and drinks at Burkart’s Marina – a relaxed waterfront establishment on Adams Bayou in Orange, Texas – in 2015.
He removed his shirt and wallet and made his way toward the water with his partner, Victoria LeBlanc, who immediately noticed an alligator beneath the docks and warned him, reports the Daily Star.
No one had passed from alligator attacks in Texas since 1836 (Image: Troy Harrison via Getty Images)
His reply became his final words: “F*** that gator.”
Within moments of entering the water, the animal clamped down on Tommie’s arm. LeBlanc dove in attempting to assist, but he instructed her to return to safety.
She dialed 911, then witnessed Tommie floating face-down near the pier before the alligator dragged him beneath the surface once more. His body was retrieved approximately two hours later, missing his left arm from the elbow down.
Tommie’s siblings were unhappy with the way their brother was initially portrayed by the media (Image: Facebook)
Tommie’s death became a viral sensation almost immediately, covered by major news organizations and local television stations, accompanied by images from his Facebook profile, which sparked comment sections filled with cruel jokes at his expense.
His identical twin brother, Brian, told Buzzfeed about his fury over the internet’s response to the incident, explaining he completely avoided media coverage in the days following, declining interview requests and turning away journalists who appeared at his home.
Several days afterward, a local, Kent Robnett – who had spotted the same unusually large alligator near the bayou weeks prior and feared for his own children’s safety while swimming in the area – decided to act independently and located and killed the alligator, identifying it by its characteristic facial scarring.
Wildlife authorities, collaborating with a licensed hunter, analyzed the alligator’s stomach contents and discovered human remains, verifying it as the animal responsible for Tommie’s death. Following the incident, Robnett received only a written warning.
Burkart’s Marina shut down for good in 2016, shortly before its long-time owner died. He allegedly carried deep remorse about the incident that occurred on his premises, even though he had displayed warning signs prior to the attack.
Tommie’s mother, Kelley Creamer-Shibles, also reflected on how surprising her son’s manner of death was: “I always thought it was going to be some stupid car accident, not an alligator attack.”
It comes after disturbing footage showed the aftermath as a woman’s arms were ripped off by a 12ft alligator.
SOURCE: DAILY EXPRESS
https://www.the-express.com/news/us-news/212993/texas-man-eerie-last-words
