Triathlete channels his inner 'Three Stooges' to escape harrowing alligator attack in South Carolina

Jonathan Bruney, 31, was training for an upcoming triathlon in the Savannah River on Sunday when he felt an unfamiliar but powerful pain in his arm."Out of nowhere, it hit me," Bruney told CBS affiliate WRDW."It was a pretty big impact to my right side… it felt as if my elbow had made a hard impact, maybe like diving on a gym basketball court."SON OF FLORIDA ALLIGATOR ATTACK VICTIM SAYS TOURISTS AND TIKTOKERS ARE EMBOLDENING THE GATORSAmerican Alligator Swimming in Everglades (iStock)Bruney said he was swimming when he thought he hit a log at first, before pain started shooting up his entire arm confirming that something far more serious was afoot.A large alligator had latched onto Bruney's right arm, and the endurance athlete suddenly went into survival mode."I immediately thought, ‘I need to get this off of me,’ because I didn’t want him to spin or death roll and do even more damage," Bruney explained.Rather than panic, Bruney remembered a weak spot and acted almost instinctively.SHARK WEEK PUTS SHARK BITE SURVIVAL IN FOCUS WITH ER DOC'S EXPERT TIPSAlligators are seen basking along the Suwannee River at Stephen C.

Foster State Park in the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia.(iStock)"I just knew the eyes were what you should target," Bruney said.

"I put my hand on the snout, reached up, and pushed my thumb into his eyeball, and he released."After he emerged from the water, Bruney was bleeding so profusely that a fellow triathlete (and first responder), Matthew Davis, had to use a cord from his swim buoy as a makeshift tourniquet, WRDW reported.CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE FROM OUTKICK OUTDOORSAfter a bystander called 911, first responders were able to get Bruney to a local hospital, where doctors were able to determine that the injuries were treatable and not long-term in nature.An American alligator in the Florida Everglades.(iStock)"It could have been a lot worse," Bruney told the outlet.CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APPHe added that although he doesn't...