Brittany Clark’s boyfriend, Chance Allison, has shared his account of the fatal alligator attack that occurred on Sunday, recounting his initial shock and the harrowing moments that followed. Allison told The Post that when a large alligator emerged from the Econlockhatchee River and attacked Clark, his first reaction was disbelief.
"For the first two seconds I thought ‘Is she joking?’," Allison said. "Once I realized that she wasn’t joking, I didn’t know what to do but to jump in and try to help. I tried to grab her."
The attack, which took place during a hiking trip with Allison and roommate Jayden Hernandez in Central Florida's Little Big Econ State Forest, involved a 13-foot alligator. Clark, 31, suffered severe injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital due to significant blood loss. Allison described the struggle as feeling like it lasted “forever,” though he estimated it was between 30 and 40 seconds.
Earlier, the group had reportedly joked about the possibility of alligators in the water after seeing bubbles. Allison stated that while they were aware of the potential presence of alligators, they had previously swum in the same location without incident.
Harrowing bodycam footage, released by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, shows a deputy's attempt to reach Clark, who was reportedly under a tent Allison had used to shield her from the sun. Allison described the experience as “one of the scariest things ever” and noted that it led to nightmares in the initial days.
Allison is currently organizing a celebration of life for Clark, anticipating a large turnout from her friends and family. Before she was transported to the hospital, Clark's last request to Allison was to care for her dog, Hokie. Allison has since taken in Hokie and Clark's cat, Shady, to live with his own dog, Bulma.