Jonathan Bruney survived an alligator attack while swimming in the Savannah River during training for an upcoming Ironman race. The 31-year-old triathlete and coach was leading a group of athletes near Augusta when the animal grabbed his right arm. Bruney first thought he had hit a log, but quickly realized what was happening. With the alligator holding on, he used a desperate move he remembered from television: he squeezed its eye until it let go. His athletes got out of the water safely, while friends and first responders helped stop his bleeding. Bruney says he still plans to race.
What happened to Jonathan Bruney during the alligator attack?
Bruney had traveled to the Georgia-South Carolina border with athletes he coaches for a training day ahead of the Ironman event. The plan was meant to be easy. He described it as a “nice, easy zone-two, low-heart-rate day” as he led the swimmers through their session.As Bruney swam, he was breathing and looking to his left, leaving the animal on his right. He then felt a hard bump on his right elbow. At first, he thought it was a log floating in the river.Recalling the moment to OutKick Outdoors, Bruney said: ‘I wasn’t even thinking gator.‘I’m thinking, ‘Okay, big log floating in the river.’ But then I looked to my right. I’m like, ‘Okay, this is a lot worse than a log.’‘This thing’s big enough to barrel roll and rip the arm off if I don’t get away quickly.’The alligator then grabbed his arm. Bruney tried punching it twice, but that did not make it release him. He then went for the animal’s eye.‘I did have two moderate punches, but that didn’t do anything… [I] went up the snout and squeezed the eye.’The move worked, and Bruney got away. Reports have described the alligator as roughly 4 to 6 feet long.
How did Jonathan Bruney survive the alligator attack?
Once he escaped, Bruney told the other swimmers to leave the water. None of the athletes were bitten. A passer-by called 911 because the group did not have phones with them.Bruney was bleeding from his arm and began feeling dizzy, with the arm becoming cold. One of his friends, Matthew Davis, used the cord from a swimming buoy to help control the bleeding before emergency crews arrived.Bruney later recalled the response: ‘The police officers, they came on scene pretty quickly. I mean, within a few minutes I heard their sirens,’ Bruney recalled. ‘They actually wrapped my arm up. Pretty good props to them for knowing what to do. And then the ambulance came.’He was taken for medical treatment and suffered injuries to the skin and fat, with no major muscle damage reported. ABC News also reported that Bruney was grateful the attack did not leave him with more serious injuries.Bruney has since been cleared to compete and says the attack has not changed his plan to return to the water for the race. He was training for the Ironman 70.3 Augusta event, scheduled for September 27. Despite what happened in the Savannah River, he still intends to take part.