Florida Man Survives Crocodile Attack Using Bare Hands
A 71-year-old Florida man survived a crocodile attack by driving his thumb into the reptile's eye and stabbing it repeatedly with his fishing rod after it dragged him into a canal behind his home in late June.
A dramatic struggle unfolded in Florida when a 71-year-old man went fishing and found himself battling a massive crocodile. James Grayson McMicken was casting his line in a canal behind his home in late June when the hidden reptile suddenly lunged from the water and clamped down hard on his right leg, dragging him toward the depths with tremendous force.
Despite the life-threatening situation, McMicken kept his wits about him. Years earlier, he had legally hunted crocodiles and knew their eyes were a critical vulnerability. He immediately drove his thumb into one eye while repeatedly stabbing the other with his fishing rod. The crocodile, unable to tolerate the pain, finally released him and swam away.
"I just thought I couldn't die," McMicken recalled. "I'd always heard that if you have no other choice, target the crocodile's eyes. I drove my thumb into one eye and kept stabbing the other with my rod. It felt like time was standing still, but eventually it let me go."
Weakened from the attack, McMicken could not walk on his own and called his faithful dog to help support him until he reached home. His wife immediately rushed him to the hospital, where doctors found multiple deep puncture wounds on his right leg requiring extensive stitching. Fortunately, no vital organs were damaged.
Hospital staff were so impressed by his courage that many nurses visited to ask about the ordeal and commend his bravery. Kimberly Andrews, a crocodile expert from the University of Georgia, confirmed that McMicken's actions were the correct survival technique. When dragged by a crocodile, she explained, attack sensitive areas like the eyes, upper head, or sides of the jaw to force the reptile to loosen its grip.
Authorities are still searching for the crocodile. McMicken, now recovering and using a cane, says he will be more cautious around water in the future—but he won't stop fishing. He concluded defiantly: "No crocodile is getting away from me."
