Home > Crime > Florida Teen Loses Part Of Arm After Alligator Attack

Florida Teen Loses Part Of Arm After Alligator Attack

July 10, 2012 at 8:55 am by Morbid

MOORE HAVEN, FL – A 17-year-old in Florida is lucky to be alive today after being attacked by an 11-foot alligator and only losing part of his arm.

The only reason why I am even posting this story is because of the victim, Kaleb Langdale, also known as Fred. The quotes from his friends are amusing and if they actually reflect Fred’s attitude, then he may be one of the few teens I actually like.

But before I get to the quotes, here’s what happened yesterday when Fred and some friends took a dip in in the Caloosahatchee River and caught the attention of a hungry gator.

“As soon as he’d seen Fred, the gator was coming after him. On top of the water, as fast as he could pedal, his tail was wagging back and forth, he was coming,” said Gary Beck.

Growing up in Florida, Fred and his friends are aware they are sharing the water with alligators, but this time of year means the animals are especially active.

“It’s just after mating season, eggs are already laid, but the gators are still very active,” said FWC Captain Jeff Ardelean. “Any type of commotion on the water is potential food in their eyes.”

On this day, the prey was Fred. After making a beeline towards him, Fred knew he was about to be attacked and did the one thing he could to hopefully prevent from being killed. He offered the gator his arm.

“He’s been around alligators all his life, He’s smart enough, he knows if he offers him his arm, he won’t take his torso. He was smart, he took the risk,” said Matthew Baker, who was in the water with Fred when the attack happened.

Fred got pulled underwater when the gator latched on to his arm. When Fred popped back up he alerted his friends that he had lost his right arm below the elbow and for someone to call paramedics.

Fred was airlifted to Lee Memorial Hospital while trappers scoured the area in an attempt to trap the gator that took Fred’s arm, and hopefully get it back. It took three hours, but the gator responsible was found and Fred’s arm was still inside. The arm was retrieved and sent to the hospital so doctors could try to re-attach it.

Unfortunately, doctors were not able to do so. But even so, Beck say Fred is in good spirits and happy the gator got his right arm instead of his left because that’s what he uses to steer his airboat. He also added that this attack won’t deter them from going back in the water. Especially Fred.

“He’ll be the first person back in,” said Beck.

NBC-2.com WBBH News for Fort Myers, Cape Coral

Tags: alligator, arm, Crime, Florida, Fred, Kaleb Langdale, When Animals Attack

41 Comments

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https://twitter.com/#!/AngelsMom0806 Angels Mom

Fred’s a smart young man. A quick thinker like him will do great things in life.

RIP arm.
JGo555

Fred sounds cool. I also hope Fred had no hopes of being any sort of athlete and @PetePuma, THIS KID deserves a fleshlight, not that other doofus you sent it to!!!
JohnQknowitall

Something really awful happens and someone actually uses his brain to lessen the results. This is unusual for DD.

Poor kid… the pain must have terrible after the adrenaline from the god awful fear wore off.
Sam

The Terriers – that’s a football team, right? I’m betting once he’s fitted with a prosthetic he’ll be the star of the team. I’d like to see anybody try and get that ball away from him once he’s sunk his hook into it.
The_Yeti_Knows

This kids gonna have the best story for the chicks… By the time he’s 20 he’ll have it tweaked to include snatching a month old cross eyed orphan baby out of the gator’s jaws..
sugarpie

I hope he at least gets some nice boots and a belt out of the deal.
https://twitter.com/#!/AngelsMom0806 Angels Mom

That would be bad ass.
http://www.dreamindemon.com Count Rackula

He may only have one arm now, but he’ll be telling that story and getting tons of pussy for it for the rest of his life I’d bet. The way he reacted was pretty badass. I wouldn’t have known what to do, I probably would have used that arm to wave goodbye to my friends, because I’m being eaten bitches! See ya!
David

Hey guys… we got a badass over here. No, for real this time.
newstarshipsmell

“These boots nearly cost me an arm and a leg! But I lucked out and got them for just an arm.”
newstarshipsmell

“…happy the gator got his right arm instead of his left because that’s what he uses to steer his airboat.”

C’mon Jgo, obviously “steering his airboat” is a euphemism, he won’t be needing a fleshlight.
Texas Ranger

Cripes Sam, Your comment took me back to a High School Football incident. I was blocking this linebacker who had his hand cut off from a woodworking accident, and he caught me under the chin with that fake hand of his and damn near knocked me out. Neck still hurts to this day. This guy will be a bad ass on the field I tell ya.
TinyCyborg

He’ll have a badass robot arm in ten years, maybe less.
Andyman

God I hope he doesn’t get necrotizing fasciitis. And if he does, that the doctors identify it immediately. He sounds like a good kid with a great attitude. We could all learn something from him!
http://www.dreamindemon.com Count Rackula

Fuck yeah! Hopefully he’ll get one with a bunch of cool attachments he can change out, or that it will be a bionic arm that is also a knife/laser beam/gun/scissors/pen/car key/dildo/billy club/ceiling fan/cup holder/chainsaw all in one.

Go go gadget arm!
https://twitter.com/#!/AngelsMom0806 Angels Mom

I hope he doesn’t use the chainsaw attachment when he should be using the dildo attachment.
http://www.dreamindemon.com Count Rackula

Girl, I’ve seen a modified chainsaw that had a dildo at the end of it, so that you had to pull start it just like a chainsaw and it would be like a vibrator I guess? That vibrates really aggressively and violently?? I don’t know why that guy did that, but he asked me if he could use it on me… and I politely declined. O_o

A dildo chainsaw is every bit as terrifying as you imagine it, Angel.

I guess your comment just reminded me of that, so that’s what you get for bringing up dildos and chainsaws.
https://twitter.com/#!/AngelsMom0806 Angels Mom

I believe it! While I don’t have a problem with a dildo being connected to some motorized things I’ll stay away from that particular one. LOL!
tinalib13

Yup, and he’ll get those girls back to his apt. by teliin them he’s got the gator stuffed in his living room. Who wouldn’t wanna see that?
tinalib13

Way to go Fred!
kimbev69

Did the gator say “NOM NOM”
kimbev69

There is a case where a guy modified his drill with a dildo by keeping the bit on and just putting a dildo on it and it poked thru and killed his partner
Heather_Habilatory

QUIT PICKING ON FLORIDA!!!!!!!

Ok, I’m going to read the article now.
Heather_Habilatory

I’m thinking we need to let that gator loose on Wayne Treacy.
blubberdong

i thought all women liked episotomies with their orgasms.
http://www.facebook.com/dukerichards Duke Richards

All I know is if the gator took my right arm, 95% of my sex life would be dead. I might as well be dead
lalalandmamma

AKA Fred. Really?!?
lyssdexia

Wow. I got some mad respect for this guy. An 11 foot gator??!!? And this kid had the presence of mind to think through all of his actions? I’ve been a Florida gal for 50 years, and believe me when I tell you – we have some healthy fear for these monsters! I would have been shitting bricks – that mutha was as big as my car!

Way to go, Fred! You should have enough hide for boots, belt, and some matching luggage – at least two big suitcases – one for each of your (obviously) enormous, gargantuan testicles!

I want this kid as my next door neighbor… it’s gonna be good to have him close by, you know, for the coming apocalypse?
shanshanity

Um..does no one think it was pretty stupid of the kids to go swimming in a river that is known to have alligators inhabit it- and to top it off,at peak aggression time?

Yeah he used his brain by sacrificing his arm so he didn’t get grabbed around the torso but the silly dickhead shouldn’t have been in alligator infested waters to begin with.
And the idiots are thinking that they will do it again…yay floriduh!!
Chinchillazilla

It would have been stupid if they died of heatstroke, too.
Chinchillazilla

I would be pissed if I fed my arm to a gator and then someone killed it to get my arm back. I GAVE HIM MY ARM TO FORGE A LIFELONG ALLIANCE WITH HIM, YOU DICKS
https://twitter.com/#!/AngelsMom0806 Angels Mom

Damnit, you made me laugh out loud .
shanshanity

Oh of course you are right.I mean what other possible option would they have had to prevent themselves from heatstroke but to go and take a dip in alligator infested water…

I must have missed the part about them swimming to escape the heatstroke inducing weather.
defenestratethis

Saw this kid on the morning news. One brave s.o.b., He said “Im alive, so I couldnt care less about my arm” Hes probably being well medicated, that little Tarzan motherfucker….
JohnQknowitall

Super good to hear. I can only imagine how in tune he is with the gratitude of being alive – even at his age when the biggest thoughts in his life to be choosing a college, forlorn love and internet porn.
http://www.dreamindemon.com Count Rackula

Yeah I remember you mentioning that once. That’s a short story that really sticks with you, huh? What a terrible fucking way to die!!
kimbev69

I cant even imagine ouchie
Chixdigme

Tough kid.
HotReadingMama

I’m glad someone else thought it.
psilas

‘Fred is in good spirits and happy the gator got his right arm instead of
his left because that’s what he uses to steer his airboat’

Is that everglade speak for ‘masturbation’?
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1616336316 Mary Mahi Mahi

I feel sorry for the 11 foot gator having lived in Flori-duh for 33 years anyone knows you
don’t jump in a dark coffee colored river right after mating season unless you want to
become gator bait. Dumb ass kid Fred the dummy is famous now for killing a gator!