A father and son got stuck in swamps infested with alligators (4 photos + 1 video)

"My ATV ran out of gas and we're stuck in the mud," a Florida man told a 911 dispatcher after calling for help. On the evening of December 4th, the man and his son were stranded in the alligator-infested swamp.





"Sir, we're stuck in the Everglades," he continued.

They both lost their shoes in the confusion and found themselves barefoot and wet in Big Cypress National Forest in south Florida. The family had no food, no flashlight, and was running low on water.



As the evening cooled, they lit a fire to keep warm and deter predators.

"The sun is setting, and the alligators are getting hungry," the dispatcher's father warned.

The Collier County Sheriff's Office air unit quickly arrived on scene.





Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said the call came in just 30 minutes before sunset.

"When the sun sets in the Everglades, you have to act fast," he said.

The father and son waved frantically when they saw the helicopters.

Rescuers used ropes and harnesses to pull the men up. No one was injured in the nightmare-turned-adventure.



Big Cypress National Park spans 729,000 acres of freshwater marshes.

The park is home not only to alligators but also to panthers, who often come out to hunt at night.

Fortunately, alligator attacks are rare. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, seven attacks were recorded in 2025, one of which was fatal.

A father and son escaped a tragic outcome thanks to the prompt action of the Collier County Sheriff's Office.