South Carolina - A man was ambushed by an alligator in South Carolina, and his wife's reaction to the dangerous situation made her a hero.

The couple Joe and Marian Roeser were in the garden of their community apartment complex when Joe was attacked from behind by an alligator that jumped out of a nearby pond.

According to People, his wife heard the cries for help and acted immediately, grabbing the first object she could get her hands on to attack the animal.

"I just grabbed the closest thing I could find – a tomato stake – and started attacking the alligator's eyes and head," Marian said.

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"I knew I had to do whatever it took to save my husband."

Joe had to be flown to hospital by helicopter, but the bite wounds to his leg were not life-threatening.

"His wife is a hero," said Lt. Danny Allen, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, emphasizing at the same time that Marian had acted exactly right.

In the event of an attack, one should fight for one's life and, above all, aim for the animal's eye area.

Due to its aggressive behavior, the alligator was captured and euthanized. The police pointed out that April and May are the main breeding and migration season for alligators.