WA man recalls crocodile attack during Mexico trip

Richland man survives Crocodile attack on Mexico trip

A man from Richland, Washington is recovering after he was attacked by a crocodile during a trip to Mexico.

RICHLAND, Wash. - A Washington man is recovering after he says he was attacked by a crocodile during a trip to Mexico. The attack happened three weeks ago from Monday in Cozumel. 

What He's Saying:

"When I turned around, I got an even bigger surprise that it turned out to be a 10- or 12-foot crocodile," said Eric Greager. "He had his mouth open and evil-looking smile on his face, and he immediately lunged at me, so put my hands up to block him, and that's on my right arm wound up in his mouth, and he clamped down on it, and then started thrashing back and forth, kind of like a dog with a rag toy."

Eric Greager, from Richland, said from there the crocodile started to turn over and take him down, so he started kicking and yelling. Which worked, because it let him go.

Greager told FOX 13 Seattle he was able to make his way back to shore, where half a dozen people came out and helped him, and a lifeguard put a tourniquet on his arm. He was in surgery for six hours and spent three days in the hospital. 

While the crocodile severed arteries and tendons in his arm, somehow the two main nerves in his arm were not damaged and no bones were broken, according to Greager.

He starts physical therapy later this week, but doctors say he has a long road to recovery. In fact, one doctor said his recovery will be like watching grass grow.

The entire encounter took not only a physical toll on him, but an emotional one as well. 

"The first few days in the hospital, it was tough to sleep, because I closed my eyes and all I could see was the crocodile in front of me," Greager said. "I've relived it, you know, hundreds of times by now and the strange thing is, is that there's so many relatively little things that, had they gone a different way, I wouldn't be here talking to you right now."

He went on to say he is grateful to those who helped him. 

He’s not letting this attack stop him from getting back into the water though, as Greager has plans to go to Indonesia in October to dive again.

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