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American Morning

Orlando, Florida Teenager Recovering from Alligator Attack

Aired August 20, 2001 - 11:36   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: You know, we've been talking about shark attacks for the longest now, but get this: an Orlando, Florida teenager now recovering from an alligator attack. Edna Wilkes (ph) escaped with an injured arm after she was saved by her friend -- now best friend no doubt -- Amanda Vallis.

Let's get the details now from Central Florida News 13.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's my best friend. She was my best friend before this, but still, it's like I owe her my life.

KELLY TEAGUE, CFN13 ORLANDO, FLORIDA: Edna Wilkes can't say enough about her friend Amanda.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE:: She came back, and she gave me her raft, her boogie board, and she helped me swim.

TEAGUE: The teens were both swimming with a group of friends in little Lake Conway Saturday night, when a gator grabbed Edna's arm and pulled her underwater.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just heard her screaming, and every time I heard a scream, I would just get this shock through my body, and I never want to feel that feeling again.

TEAGUE: Instead of climbing out of the water, Amanda helped pull her friend to the shore.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I knew that I was risking my life, but I didn't really care.

TEAGUE: Edna says for the past five years, she's never thought about twice about swimming in the lake.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've never seen one the whole time that we have lived there, and just came out of nowhere.

(on camera): In all, three alligators were pulled from Little Lake Conway less than 24 hours after the attack. The smallest, just 2 feet, and the largest was over 11 feet long.

(voice-over): As for Edna, she has a broken arm and a deep cut of the hand that she used to pry open the gator's mouth. Still, Edna knows that the attack could have been much worse, if it wasn't from her friend, Amanda.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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