Gator walks right up to family’s home in Estero: ‘He was a big boy’

Reporter: Michael Hudak Writer: Matias Abril
Published: Updated:

In typical Florida fashion, a massive gator walked right up to a family’s doorstep in Estero.

Thankfully, everyone in the neighborhood kept their distance, but it definitely gave the homeowners quite a scare.

“He was a big boy!” said John Pierce, the homeowner who saw the gator at the front door.

The gator was definitely not what Pierce ordered on Amazon.

“I’m hoping he’s just curious and not hungry,” Pierce said.

“It looked 10-to-12-footer because I’m not going to go out with a tape measure,” Pierce said.

Pierce’s neighbor Ivan Rodriguez was also a witness to the intruding gator.

“I just saw the alligator walking around by the front doors!” Rodriguez said.

Safety measures for hurricanes are common in Florida, but are they enough to sustain a gator?

“We’ll see if the hurricane glasses actually protective against alligators too!” Pierce said.

He figured he would only be dealing with the cable guys, who were here at the same time to upgrade his cable.

That upgrade apparently came with another add on.

“He just kind of sat there,” Pierce said.

“I was cautious before, and now I’ve learned that you can’t be too cautious because they’re wild animals,” Pierce said.

In the future, Pierce will be more cognizant of any future gator visitors.

“I’ll be looking over my shoulder more now,” Pierce said.

And Rodriguez will never forget his Jersey roots.

“I’m from Jersey,” Rodriguez said. “I’m ready to go back to jersey if I see another alligator!”

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