Wife fights eight-and-a-half-foot alligator to save husband's life

A woman used a tomato stake to fight an over 8-foot long alligator that attacked her husband while the couple was working in their garden. The incident happened in South Carolina, where Joe and Marian Roeser have been living in a community for people 55 years and older. 

An eight-and-a-half-foot-long alligator came out of nowhere and attacked Joe. Taken aback by the alligator, Marian thought quickly and grabbed the first thing she could get her hands on. She got hold of a tomato stake, a wooden or metal structure meant to support tomatoes, and started poking at the alligator.

Marian targeted its eyes as it grabbed onto Joe and bit his leg. 

Marian hit the alligator in the eye

"I just grabbed the closest thing I could find – a tomato stake – and started attacking the alligator's eyes and head," Marian told the police, according to a report from the sheriff's office cited by ABC 4. "I knew I had to do whatever it took to save my husband."

Officers said that Marian's bravery likely saved Joe's life. "His wife is a hero," said Lt. Danny Allen, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.

Joe sustained minor injuries and was taken to the local hospital. ABC News reported that he suffered bite wounds on his leg and an abrasion to his head, which he suffered from falling down on the sidewalk.

The alligator was put down following the violent attack. Officials warned people that April and May are peak alligator season in the area. The sheriff's report stated that Joe was attacked when his back was turned towards the pond.

People are advised to reach out to the Department of Natural Resources if they witness any alligators in the area. "Fight for your life, hit for the eye area and honestly hit wherever you can," Allen said.