Mr Hedden’s story is truly amazing. All accounts agree he was snorkeling in Lake Moultrie when he was attacked by a gator almost 12 feet long. Mr Hedden then stumbled out of the water missing his arm and begging people to call his wife. On the shore he was met by either: A. church group on a picnic B. Lowcountry Fillipino Dancers C. Nurses visiting the lake as part of a 3 day religious ceremony. Luckily there were 5 registered nurses in the mysterious group who administered first aid and surely saved his life. A towel and ice were among the tools used to staunch his bleeding. Photos of Mr Hedden getting first aid show petite ladies with dark hair helping him.
The gator was tracked down- Mr Hedden’s arm retrieved and put in a large party cooler of ice for transport to the hospital. Some accounts state the gator was shot and imply the arm was removed from it’s gut though a photo clearly shows the gator swimming with an intact arm in it’s maw.
Alas, the arm was not able to be reattached. Mr Hedden is currently in fair condition at the highly regarded Medical University of South Carolina. See the article below for the outcome of the gator.
Trapper to offer mounted head of alligator to victim
Sep 19, 2007 07:00 PM
CHARLESTON, SC (AP) - The head of an alligator who bit off a man’s arm will be mounted and offered to the victim.
The state contractor who caught the reptile says the victim has expressed interest in the head.
Ron Russell killed the alligator and cut into the animal to retrieve 59-year-old Bill Hedden’s arm, but doctors were unable to reattach the arm.
Hedden is in fair condition Wednesday at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Russell says he usually donates alligator meat to charity, but he won’t be doing that for this one.
Instead, the meat from the 11-foot, 550 pound alligator will be placed in traps to catch other alligators.
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