HE NEEDS TO KNOW
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Cynthia Diekema, 61, was canoeing with her husband last year when they collided with an alligator in their canoe and both fell into the water, according to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission report recently obtained by PEOPLE.
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Throughout the attack, he said his wife appeared alert but unable to speak and had a “confused face”
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Her cause of death was listed as “multiple blunt force injuries from an alligator,” according to the report.
New details have emerged about an alligator attack that claimed the life of a 61-year-old woman as her husband fought to save her life.
On May 6 at approximately 4:02 p.m. local time, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded to an alligator encounter near the mouth of Tiger Creek in Polk County.
The woman, later identified as Cynthia Diekema, was paddling with her husband when they encountered the reptile and both fell into the water, the FWC later said.
The 11ft 4in gator then bit Cynthia and pulled her into the water before she was “later found deceased”.
Nearly eight months after the attack, an incident summary report from the FWC, which was obtained by PEOPLE through a public records request, has revealed additional information about what happened that horrific day.
In a statement to authorities, David Diekema, Cynthia’s husband, said he and his wife were traveling in an 11-foot plastic canoe that left Lake Kissimmee State Park earlier that day.
Once they entered the shallow waters of Tiger Creek, David says they spotted numerous alligators — and just before the attack, his wife commented on how they were “about to run right over one,” according to the report.
As the canoe struck the animal, which was resting on the creek bottom, the frightened animal began to thrash, according to the report, which caused the canoe to overturn and send the couple into the water.
When he was able to stand up, David said he saw Cynthia’s torso in the gator’s mouth.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
A canoe that was involved in a fatal alligator attack on May 6, 2025, in Florida’s Tiger Creek
According to officials, he said he “tried to free her from the gator’s mouth for several minutes” but was unsuccessful.
Throughout the ordeal, he said his wife appeared alert but unable to speak and had a “confused face”.
At one point, the gator lashed its tail, knocking David off his feet, according to the report. During that time, he also said the alligator “momentarily released” his wife before biting her shoulder again.
After regaining his balance, he tried once more to free his wife from the gator’s mouth, however the gator “then made a death roll and immediately swam away with Ms. Diekema in its mouth.”
Knowing time was of the essence, David — who lost his phone during the ordeal — pumped as much water out of the canoe as he could and paddled north of Tiger Creek until he reached Lake Kissimmee, according to the report. There he was rescued by a good Samaritan in a seaplane.
About 20 minutes into the search, FWC recovered Cynthia’s body and EMS pronounced her dead at the scene. The alligator was captured and euthanized around 7:30 p.m. local time the same day.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Alligator kills woman canoeing with her husband in Florida May 6, 2025
A medical examiner later performed an autopsy and shared their findings with the FWC, detailing numerous injuries, including the amputation of his right arm below the shoulder.
They stated that the preliminary cause of Cynthia’s death was “multiple blunt force injuries from an alligator” and the manner of death was ruled an “accident,” according to the report.
The day after the incident, investigators returned to the scene to find other alligators that were involved in the attack and to capture the potentially dangerous ones in the Tiger Creek area. An alligator was dispatched by an officer and moved onto an aircraft bound for Kissimmee Park. No other gators were located.
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“FWC extends its deepest sympathies to the victim’s family and friends during this difficult time,” the department said in an earlier statement.
Cynthia was from Paw Paw, Mich., and is survived by her husband David, two children and two grandchildren, according to her obituary.
“She radiated inner and outer beauty in everything she did and had unconditional love for everyone,” the obituary said. “He cherished his family and every moment and adventure they had together.”
Read the original article on People