Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Surviving an Alligator Attack

Aired August 21, 2001 - 08:19   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: You probably remember the teen who saved her friend from an alligator attack in Central Florida over the weekend.

Well, they are both here with us now to tell their story of survival.

We've got Edna Wilks, her friend, Amanda Valance, and Edna's doctor, John Ciccarelli is there as well.

Thank you all for being here.

DR. JOHN CICCARELLI, ORLANDO REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER: Thank you.

MCEDWARDS: Edna, I see that you are out of your hospital bed this morning. That's great to see.

EDNA WILKS, ATTACK SURVIVOR: Yes.

MCEDWARDS: How are you feeling?

WILKS: I am feeling a little bit tired. I am a little drowsy right now. In about an hour, I'm getting ready to go into surgery again.

MCEDWARDS: Oh, are you? What are you having done?

WILKS: They are just going to reclean my arm and just look for infections, and hopefully they won't find any.

MCEDWARDS: OK. We hope not, too.

Now, tell us what you remember, Edna? What do you remember about the attack?

WILKS: I remember everything. It was amazing. I mean, he first -- when he first grabbed onto my arm, I thought it was my strong friend, Mark, and I actually said, Mark, stop playing. And then I had looked over, and then I kind of rolled my eyes, and I looked over, and I realized it wasn't him. And he immediately pulled me under -- the alligator pulled me under and started giving me the death spin. And I was just twirling, twirling, and I heard my -- something crack. And I thought to myself, This is going to be it. But -- and he bit onto my arm, where I have this huge gash, and I thought I was going to drown. And he stopped spinning, and I went back up for air.

MCEDWARDS: Oh, my goodness. And then, what did you do then?

WILKS: Well, when I went up back for air, I was just -- all I could think of was just to try to get him off of my arm. So I used my fingers to try to open his mouth, and I cut my finger, put a big gash in it, and got some scratches on my thumb and on my palm of my hand.

MCEDWARDS: Ooh. So he is still on your arm, when you get to the surface, and you used your right hand to get yourself free?

WILKS: Uh-huh.

MCEDWARDS: Edna, that's amazing.

Now, Amanda, you're watching all of this happening. What did you do?

AMANDA VALANCE, RESCUER: I just immediately went over and pulled her away from the gator once he let go of her. And I actually believed that everything was going on. I went over and just tried my best to get her away from it once it was turning around and coming back.

MCEDWARDS: It was turning around and coming back?

VALANCE: Yes. And then, she got on the boogie board, and I looked behind us, and it was just gone. It just disappeared under the water, and I have no idea where it went.

MCEDWARDS: So what did you do then, Amanda? You've got the alligator going in the right direction. You've got Edna up on your boogie board. Are you pulling her to shore at this point?

VALANCE: Yes. Every once in a while, I would get behind her and I would push her. And I'd get in front of her and look behind to see if anything was behind us. And there was nothing, so I would go behind and push her. And then, I just gave her encouragement.

MCEDWARDS: And, Edna, what are you thinking at this point?

WILKS: I just thought -- I looked at my arm, and I tried to lift it up, and all I could see was my arm from my shoulder to my elbow. And I thought he had -- when I heard that crack, I thought he had bit my other half of my arm off. And I was screaming, My arm is gone. And then I was swimming, and I noticed I was wiggling my fingers. And then, I knew right then and there that my arm was still attached, so I just tried to use my good arm and supported my other arm and just tried to lean on the boogie board and swim in.

MCEDWARDS: OK.

Now, Dr. Ciccarelli, what kind of condition is that arm in?

CICCARELLI: It's in pretty good condition right now. The snap she heard was actually the alligator breaking the lower part of her upper arm bone when he was probably spinning her. And she has several cuts to her forearm from where he had grabbed onto her arm, the biggest being about seven inches long and about an inch deep. And it was nearly down to the bone, and she just missed one of her major nerves that helps control her hand.

MCEDWARDS: So is her prognosis pretty good?

CICCARELLI: It is. Our biggest concern right now is the risk for infection, because of the bacterial contamination that was likely in the lake, as well as the alligator's mouth. Our biggest concern is keeping that under control, which is why we're taking her back to surgery today to go in there and clean out everything again.

MCEDWARDS: Well, we sure hope that goes well. Do you think other surgeries will be necessary? Or will you -- you'll know more after today, I imagine.

CICCARELLI: Yes, we will. Once we get a look in there and see how the wound is doing, that's what our biggest concern is at the time. We don't foresee any further surgery, but that's always a possibility.

MCEDWARDS: Well, that's great news.

Now, Amanda, as you were watching all of this happen, you can see it's an alligator. I know a lot of the other kids you were with sort of left the area, as one might understand. Everybody is panicking. Everybody is afraid. But what went through your mind? I mean, did you ever think, you know, I can't get involved in this, there is nothing I can do?

VALANCE: No. I knew I was just -- I had to be there for her, because I couldn't see her die. And I don't know. I put it in God's hands and everything, and I just...

MCEDWARDS: Well, that is courage, my dear. It really is.

Edna, what do you think about your best friend now?

WILKS: Oh, it's like we have this bond now. She saved my life, and she is my hero, and I am forever grateful for that. I was just really blessed to have her there, because I would have died if she didn't come to my rescue. I would have just drowned on my own, or he would have just came -- definitely came back for me and just got me then.

MCEDWARDS: All right. Well, thank you all for your time this morning. Thanks for being here -- great story. Edna, we wish you the best -- feel better real soon, OK?

WILKS: OK.

CICCARELLI: Thank you.

MCEDWARDS: Thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.