Local Manatee Man Featured on ‘It’s Florida, Man’ HBO Series

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Eric Merda lost his right arm when the 43-year-old was attacked by an alligator while swimming across Lake Manatee near the Fish Camp in Myakka City.Man who lost arm during alligator attack says it was ‘do or die’After the incident Merda was featured on the HBO series ‘It’s Florida, Man’ during Season 1 Episode 2.Merda says he got lost in the swamp area and that’s when he decided to try and swim to safe land and back to his vehicle. The gator attack happened about 10 p.m. July 17 and he was found three days later.