A 25-year-old Florida man is recovering after being attacked by an alligator while he was searching for megalodon shark teeth in the Myakka River last weekend.
Tampa resident Jeffrey Heim told NBC News he was only in the water for a few minutes when he was hit with such force that he thought it was a boat that struck him.
Watch NBC 4 free wherever you are
WATCH HERE“I thought it was a propeller, it hit me so hard,” Heim said. "I realized I was inside its mouth and if the alligator hadn't decided to let me go on its own, there was nothing I could have done to fight it."
Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox with NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP Following the attack, Heim was left with 34 stitches in his head, a minor skull fracture and bite marks on one of his hands, and because of swelling in his head, he is still unable to open his left eye. Doctors told Heim that he does not have any brain damage from the attack and is expected to make a full recovery.
Read the full story on NBCNews.com
