Friend mourns woman killed by alligator, pleads for compassion online: 'Absolutely devastating'
Friend remembers woman killed in alligator attack as family mourns
The childhood best friend of a woman killed in an alligator attack in Central Florida is asking the public to remember her for the life she lived rather than the way she died.
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. - There is new heartbreak for the loved ones of a Florida woman killed in an alligator attack. Not only are they grieving her sudden loss, but they are also now facing cruel comments online.
In an exclusive interview with FOX 35's Laryssa Leone, spoke with Brittany Clark's childhood best friend, who opened up about the life Clark lived before the tragedy.
Alyssa Dowling is still processing the sudden loss of her best friend.
"It was like she was just always a part of my life... she left such an impact on me, and we grew up in middle school together," Dowling said.
The backstory:
On June 28, 31-year-old Brittany Clark was hiking with her boyfriend and another friend at the Little Big Econ State Forest.
The group stopped to swim near the Barr Street trailhead. According to investigators with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Clark was in about three feet of water when an alligator bit her. She tragically died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
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"It was a shock. I remember throwing my phone. Just seeing the headlines of what happened to her was absolutely devastating," Dowling said. "I would not wish this kind of pain on anybody. To go through what her family is going through, what her boyfriend and best friend are going through."
Dowling says alongside their deep grief, Clark’s family is also facing criticism online, with many commenters blaming the 31-year-old for swimming in an unregulated, alligator-dense river in the middle of summer.
Loved ones' pleas for compassion
Dowling is asking people to have compassion.
"I just want people to know that her family and friends are seeing what they're saying and it’s hurtful," Dowling explained. "We just want to be able to grieve and not have to listen to people’s two cents who don’t know her or have no sympathy for her."
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Ultimately, Dowling hopes her best friend is remembered for the joy she brought to others, not the tragic way she died.
"I don’t think she should be remembered by the tragedy, she should be remembered by the light that she had in everybody’s life," Dowling said.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by Alyssa Dowling, Brittany Clark's childhood best friend.