The Alligator Attack At A Disney Resort Wasn"t The First
The alligator attack that took the life of a 2-year-old boy this month was allegedly the first time such a traumatic incident happened at Walt Disney World, at least according to an official. A New Hampshire man who still remembers a similar incident happening to him as a child disagrees.
New York Daily News reports that 38-year-old Paul Santamaria was just an 8-year-old child when he was dragged to near death by an alligator while at a Walt Disney World campground that he visited with his family in 1986. After learning how Nebraska toddler Lane Graves was dragged off by an alligator, Santamaria couldnt help but remember the terrifying experience he went through decades ago at the same theme park.
Police have identified Lane Graves as toddler killed in Disney gator attack https://t.co/MwRHEb3ap6 pic.twitter.com/K493m6lFGx
Vibe Magazine (@VibeMagazine) June 16, 2016
Santamaria found it disappointing that Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings indicated that this sort of incident had never happened before, since Disneys Orlando opening in 1971.
I was like, Yeah it has! And it was me!"
Although its been 30 years since Santamaria visited the theme park, he still recalls the experience as if it were yesterday. His family had just arrived at the Disneys Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground when he spotted a play area close to the edge of water.
Interested in an exciting camping experience at #WDW? Check out Disney"s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground! pic.twitter.com/v9yZt8w0bZ
WDW Today (@WDWToday) April 24, 2016
Excited to see ducks in the water, Santamaria and his siblings began tossing bread to them. He never entered the water, but instead stood at the edge of the murky area where an alligator crept up, undetected.
I was feeding ducks near the waters edge and there was an alligator submerged under the water where you couldnt see it and it came up out of the water and hit me and knocked me on the ground. It just started throwing me around, trying to pull me into the water and my first reaction was just to grab the ground, to hold on and to yell for my brother and sister.
His siblings did their best to help him. While his brother threw whatever he could find at the seven-and-a-half-feet-long reptile, his sister tried to pull the alligator, who already clamped its jaw down on one of Santamarias legs. He remembers kicking the alligator with his free leg until he broke away.
I started kicking with my available leg and it opened its mouth and let me go.
Santamaria was rushed to hospital after being bit on the front of the leg, across the knee cap, up the shin. Doctors found an alligator tooth embedded in his thigh. He spent a week in the hospital, where he was visited by Disney characters, including Mickey Mouse and Snow White.
Paul Santamaria https://t.co/vyCaPGmm7H | https://t.co/uRE6CSAh3U pic.twitter.com/p0b1XcOyvq
Anthony Schell FL (@AnthonySchellFL) June 16, 2016
Although hes certainly disheartened that Demings isnt being open about a previous attack, he indicated that its no ones fault, and could have happened to anyone.
Its nobodys fault, anything can happen at any time and you just hope that your kids will stay safe and that you can keep them safe and that theyll grow up healthy.
However, he added that since most people from out of town arent aware of the alligators in the area, there should be some sort of warning when people come to Florida to enjoy a family vacation. An alligator attack is usually the last thing a family is thinking of when arriving to Disney World, but Santamaria thinks its something everyone should be aware of.
Its scary that alligators are there. Its an associated danger with that area. People from Florida know its there, but people from another place dont know. Maybe they should give verbal warnings when people check in. I dont have a crystal ball. But even if they handed out something when your check in or posted signs, theres no guarantee people would read it.
[Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images]
Source: http://www.inquisitr.com/3212260/disney-alligator-attack-happened-before-despite-sheriff-claiming-it-to-be-a-first/
