Florida Man Has Hand Amputated After Alligator Attack — His Second Attack in 9 Years
Getty File image of an alligator
A Florida park wildlife director had his hand amputated after being attacked by an alligator for the second time in less than a decade.
While conducting a "routine interaction" with alligators at Florida Gator Gardens, Greg Graziani was "seriously injured," the park said in a statement via Facebook last week.
He underwent a "partial amputation of his left arm" before being airlifted to Tampa General Hospital for further treatment. Surgeons were able to reattach his arm during a nine-hour procedure, the zoo added.
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Sharing a follow-up post on Friday, Florida Gator Gardens said the incident caused an "extreme injury" to Graziani's hand, leaving it "connected by one tendon," adding, "A tendon and some muscle that the surgeon had to untwist 6 times during the initial surgery."
Though doctors were able to save his arm from a full amputation, his hand "was simply not able to recover."
Graziani first began interacting with reptiles when he was 7 years old, the zoo said, and nearly lost his right arm in 2013.
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"He only came back more determined to share his passion for reptiles with the world. He has assured us that this is no different," shared Florida Gator Gardens, adding that Graziani hasn't let the incident stop him from "preaching" reptile awareness and education to his medical team.
The park noted in its initial post that the alligator involved wasn't hurt and will stay at the zoo.
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It also shared photos that included Graziani in the hospital and the X-ray of his arm as well as an image taken after his arm was reattached and pictures of him interacting with alligators. It is not clear if one of the reptiles pictured attacked Graziani.
He is expected to be released from the hospital this week.
In 2020, Graziani opened up on Facebook about almost losing his arm nine years ago due to a "nuisance alligator that I trapped." In his post, he shared an article written about the incident that noted how he was able to save his arm from amputation.
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"Any time you work with animals, there is always a risk," the zoo said in its follow-up statement on Friday. "That is something Greg and the people who love him have always accepted. This incident could have just as easily been a fatal tragedy. We are so happy to be given another chance to chase our passions and live the life with those we love."
Graziani did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
