Gatorland visit taught girl how to fight off alligator

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - The young girl attacked by an alligator in Orange County Saturday told paramedics that she learned how to fight it off during a visit to the Central Florida attraction Gatorland.

Juliana Ossa was smiling and waving as she walked out of her home Monday evening.  At just 10-years-old, she’s an alligator attack survivor.

“Alligator was definitely a new one for us – at least in our ER,” said Kevin Brito, a paramedic at Nemours Children’s Hospital.

Brito treated Ossa over the weekend. Officials say she was in the water at Moss Park in Orange County when the nearly nine foot gator got a hold of her leg.

“She actually had said that she remembers back when she went to Gatorland they gave her some tips,” Brito explained. “She said she was able to get her fingers in its nose."

Her actions were spot on, according to Gatorland trainers. Ossa was able to escape the gator’s grip and get some help.

“She definitely got lucky as far as the size and the severity of her injuries,” Brito said.

He says after getting stitches, she was out of the hospital after about four hours. Just two days later, we saw her on her feet again.

“The silver lining of the story is that it could have been so much worse but she got the care that she needed and was able to go home,” Brito told FOX35.

Paramedics at Nemours are specially trained to take care of certain ER patients.