Heartbreaking news...a big reminder to be aware of wildlife on property

[Claudia1]

The Disney rep didnt say hardly anything. Not sure what I expected but it was certainly short

 

[Hazelon]

The father apparently did make contact with the gator and may have a scratch. So basically 2 year old boy playing about a foot into the water, not on the shore, father was near by, gator attacked, dad and mother went after the gator.

So sad, and I'll say it now, preventable.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

The child wasn't in the water.

My heat absolutely breaks for this family and child. Such a terrible tragedy.

I don't think we know this for sure. In fact, the news conference just said he was in the water. That could change.

MG

 

[Maistre Gracey]

The father apparently did make contact with the gator and may have a scratch. So basically 2 year old boy playing about a foot into the water, not on the shore, father was near by, gator attacked, dad and mother went after the gator.

So sad, and I'll say it now, preventable.

"A minor scratch"

Just sayin'... I would probably fight to my death.

MG

 

[dsdeleon]

Heartbroken for this family, this is a nightmare. While on a fishing excursion, they took us to find a gator. It ended up being by WL and was known by the CMs.

 

[maryj11]

Stay out of the water should be clear to "stay out of water". It's posted for a good reason. What do people think, it's for the lightning bugs?

MG

I guess they need a sign that says STAY OUT OF THE WATER THERE ARE ALLIGATORS IN IT !

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Sounds like the boy was wading in the water. Terrible accident, but I am surprised by the previous posts about gators. It's common knowledge.

 

[maryj11]

"A minor scratch"

Just sayin'... I would probably fight to my death.

MG

Sounds a little fishy to me. I would fight tooth and nail for any of my kids. I wouldn't let go of the gator until I had my baby.

 

[soniam]

Sounds like the boy was wading in the water. Terrible accident, but I am surprised by the previous posts about gators. It's common knowledge.

To Floridians maybe. Did you know that we get scorpions and bats in buildings and homes in Austin? Everyone here knows it.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

To Floridians maybe. Did you know that we get scorpions and bats in buildings and homes in Austin? Everyone here knows it.

I can see how many wouldn't know it, but gators in Florida swamp country is, well,,,, well known.

MG

 

[deanimal]

Please, can we go for more than four hours after the event without all the judgement? A two year old can run pretty fast, maybe he got a foot into the water with a parent right behind trying to catch him. And gators are lightening fast and incredibly strong. You can't "fight to the death" when the animal has rocketed away under water. I know people are feeling just sick right now, picturing their own little ones running around at Disney World and wanting to shut out the horror of the thought of something like that happening to them. Judgement is often just a knee-jerk reaction to those thoughts, rationalizing that it could only happen to a "bad" parent, a "neglectful" parent, a "lazy" or "uncaring" parent. That way we can shove away the sickening thought that it could happen to me. But it's cruel and wrong to point fingers at this stage and I'd respectfully ask people to put aside their judgement and show compassion.

 

[wendow]

Sounds a little fishy to me. I would fight tooth and nail for any of my kids. I wouldn't let go of the gator until I had my baby.

I'd like to think I know exactly what I would do in a situation like this but I know the shock of something like this might prevent me from doing anything. I dunno. Hard to even wrap your brain around how this could happen.

 

[Dis703]

Just watched the live news conference on CNN. I was thinking from initial reports the gator came out of the water and up to where everyone was watching the movie, but that wasn't the case it seems. The child was playing in the water with the family nearby. Still shocking and horrible, but much more along the lines of where/how I would expect an alligator attack to happen.

I've never been to that particular beach but as others are saying there are signs to stay out of the water I'm wondering if it's normal to see people playing in it?

 

[poober25]

My husband and I are just at a loss for words over this, and my 17 yr. old son is literally crying for this poor child and her family. We were at MK tonight and DH saw the chopper circling and said--something isn't right about that, they are searching for someone (about 10:30, prob.). I blew it off, thinking it was just extra security measures. We finally got home and found out about this. How absolutely horrible!

 

[ppony]

Sounds a little fishy to me. I would fight tooth and nail for any of my kids. I wouldn't let go of the gator until I had my baby.

Wow. Just, wow. You have no IDEA what went on. That gator is many, MANY times stronger than a human being. It could easily have gotten away from a man w/o a blink and instantly underwater.. Gone. It doesn't exactly have fur to grab or handles to hold on to. I'm sad to see arm-chair QBing and judgement of this family.

 

[gratefulfred]

At one time you were allowed to swim in that lake

 

[hamilkm]

This is the saddest thing I have ever heard! While not from Florida, I am aware of the gators in the water down there. Actually had a ME driver point them out to us leaving the airport once when you could see one from the road. I think they are more common in certain areas of Disney. In May we stayed at POFQ and my 15 year old cousin made sure to ask every boat captain about gators. Most said they had seen 1 or 2 over the course of 15-20 years in that area, but they were definitely there and more common in other areas around Disney. He also told us all about the cotton mouths they find there regularly. I decided right then and there when I have children they will be far from the water at Disney.
My heart is absolutely breaking for this family right now.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Wow. Just, wow. You have no IDEA what went on. That gator is many, MANY times stronger than a human being. It could easily have gotten away from a man w/o a blink and instantly underwater.. Gone. It doesn't exactly have fur to grab or handles to hold on to. I'm sad to see arm-chair QBing and judgement of this family.

Only speaking for myself, and not judging the family... And I don't know the particulars.
But I'd still be swimming looking for my child. Not sure what else to say.

MG

 

[wendow]

I've never been to that particular beach but as others are saying there are signs to stay out of the water I'm wondering if it's normal to see people playing in it?

We have visited and stayed at the resorts on the SSL many times. I have seen plenty of children playing right at the water's edge (including my own) during the day but never actually a foot deep in the water nor have I ever seen anyone even at the water's edge at night. When we are down there for the EWP, people are further up on the beach.

 

[Dis703]

Wow. Just, wow. You have no IDEA what went on. That gator is many, MANY times stronger than a human being. It could easily have gotten away from a man w/o a blink and instantly underwater.. Gone. It doesn't exactly have fur to grab or handles to hold on to.

This exactly. It likely was no effort at all for the gator to just slip back into the water with the father trying to hang on to it. There is no "fighting tooth and nail" because the gator wouldn't even engage in a fight as it had what it wanted. He just got away.