'I couldn’t let him go': South Carolina woman fights off alligator to save husband
"I just grabbed the closest thing I could find – a tomato stake – and started attacking the alligator's eyes and head," Roeser said.
An alligator is seen at Harbour Town Golf Links on April 14, 2023 in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. (Photo credit: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
In a harrowing encounter on Wednesday, Marian Roeser showed remarkable courage by rescuing her 77-year-old husband from an alligator attack in their backyard in the Sun City retirement community near Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
The couple was working in their backyard when the alligator attacked the man, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office. The man’s wife reportedly told deputies her husband was putting mulch down and had his back turned to a pond when the alligator attacked. Reacting swiftly, Roeser grabbed a nearby tomato stake and struck the alligator, causing it to release her husband.â
"I just grabbed the closest thing I could find – a tomato stake – and started attacking the alligator's eyes and head," Roeser said, according to the sheriff's office report. "I knew I had to do whatever it took to save my husband."â
Roeser was eventually able to get her husband inside so she could call 911. The man was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Authorities from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) responded to the scene and euthanized the alligator. They plan to perform a necropsy to determine if the animal had been fed by humans, as such behavior can cause alligators to associate people with food, increasing the risk of attacks.â
The day before the attack, the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office issued an alligator warning on Facebook advising people in the region to take extra caution near any body of water.
"While we are enjoying the warm weather, our local alligators are too. April and May mark their season of movement and mating. Hungry and basking more often, adult males are actively searching for mates while young gators venture out, leaving their homes for new waters."
The attack is an reminder that even familiar environments can pose serious risks in areas where alligators are native. Experts urge residents to stay alert near bodies of water, maintain a safe distance from wildlife and never feed alligators—behavior that can increase the likelihood of dangerous encounters.
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