Susan Marciano, a 74-year-old woman, walked at the Burt Aaronson South County Regional Park in Boca Raton. She has been going for walks for about 8 years with her two pet dogs.
She would let go of the leash for Nalu, her pet Golden Retriever dog, so that she could wander around the shore. However, on one tragic day, when she let go, Nalu Marciano noticed a figure in the water that was an alligator.
Within a few seconds, the alligator grabbed Nalu. The only thing she could do for the innocent dog was to step into the water and come down on the gator.
As she pulled the dog, the alligator left the dog and now grabbed Marciano's hand. She kept pulling her hand and, at last, was out of the reach of the alligator.
Marciano was in a state of shock after she was safe. She was scared and had no idea what to do next. Finally, she decided to go home and rest, but one of her friends advised her to visit the hospital.
She ended up with six stitches on her palm, and Nalu had a puncture wound on her thigh and stomach and had undergone surgery for two hours. It was a traumatic experience for both of them, but both of them are recovering well.
Marciano does not regret her decision to save her pet Nalu. It would have been more traumatic to her if she had lost her dog. This was an ultimate act of love and bravery.
