Dogs
75-year-old man fights off alligator to save golden retriever’s life
This man is a true hero!
Rachel Shapiro
07.16.19

When Jody Ackerman went on vacation, she immediately asked her father Buddy to watch her golden retriever Osi. Buddy and Osi got along well, and Jody trusted her dad to look after her beloved pup. She dropped the dog off at her dad’s house in Palm Harbor, Florida and headed off for her trip.

YouTube Screenshot
Source:
YouTube Screenshot

Buddy and Osi had a great time together.

Buddy took Osi for lots of walks, which the dog loved. One morning, Buddy took Osi for a stroll by the pond behind his house. It was still dark out, making it hard for Buddy to see what was happening in the pond. Osi stopped to do his business, and that’s when disaster struck.

“All of a sudden, I see the water rippling right along in here — almost seemed like an explosion,” Buddy told WFTS-TV.

YouTube Screenshot
Source:
YouTube Screenshot

A gigantic, eight-foot-long alligator leaped out of the pond and grabbed onto Osi’s backside with its powerful jaw.

Osi yelped in pain, and Buddy immediately jumped into action to save the dog. He started tugging at Osi, trying to get him away from the alligator.

“He was squealing a good bit when the thing grabbed him,” Ackerman said. “Me, I’m a nervous wreck, I go up and slip and fall on my rear end, and the two of us are tugging. Alligator is going one way, I’m going the other.”

YouTube Screenshot
Source:
YouTube Screenshot

Buddy then kicked the alligator on the snout twice, and the alligator finally let go of Osi. Buddy and Osi ran away as fast as they could.

“The thing opened its mouth real wide and backed up a little,” Buddy said.

Thankfully, Osi wasn’t injured during his encounter with the alligator. When they got home, Buddy called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Services’ alligator nuisance hotline and told them about the gator. The FWS quickly came out and trapped the alligator, and they then relocated it.

YouTube Screenshot
Source:
YouTube Screenshot

Buddy also told his daughter about what happened. She was so happy that Osi and Buddy were okay, and she was amazed by the way her dad fought off the gator.

“My father is our hero, Osi and I are so very grateful that nobody was hurt,” Jody said.

YouTube Screenshot
Source:
YouTube Screenshot

After the incident, Jody said she took Osi to read the alligator warning signs by the pond to make sure he understood them. Jody hopes this will be the last time she and Osi encounter any alligators.

Jody Ackerman via Facebook
Source:
Jody Ackerman via Facebook

Buddy is a brave man who was determined to save his daughter’s beloved pup. If you’d like to learn more about Buddy and Osi, check out the video below.

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Article Sources:
To learn more read our Editorial Standards.
Advertisement