A sheriff's office report says Kasey Edwards was hanging out with friends beside a canal in Okeechobee County on Sunday when he decided to go swimming.
Halfway through the swim, an alligator clamped down on his left arm. Edwards says he fought back by grabbing onto a buoy line and not letting go. He then poked the animal in the eye to get free.
As Edwards began to swim away, he noticed that his left arm was missing. Friends pulled him to safety and he was taken to a hospital for treatment.
