← The Miracle Files - True Miracle Stories
The Miracle Files - True Miracle Stories
Left for Dead in the Swamp: The Eric Merda Story | REMASTERED
00:28:01
He went into the swamp angry, broken, and alone. What happened next defies explanation… Eric Merda faced a deadly alligator attack and was left for dead in the murky waters. Hours turned into days as he fought pain, fear, and the darkness closing in....
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- [00:02]
Narrator
Before Eric could react, the water exploded in a violent splash. He was yanked under the surface. Panic surged through him as he realized he was in the jaws of an alligator.
- [00:17]
Eric Murda
It snapped my arm backwards and then kept dragging me under, trying to drown me.
- [00:27]
Narrator
This is the Miracle Files. I'm Emily Jones.
- [00:30]
Holly Worthington
And I'm Holly Worthington. We're two sisters who love a captivating true story. But we're also seeking more light in our lives.
- [00:39]
Narrator
So we're on a mission to find and share unforgettable, uplifting stories of God's miracles. We hope you'll join us on this journey.
- [00:50]
Holly Worthington
Welcome back to the Miracle Files. You. If I sound a little sick today, that's because I am.
- [00:56]
Emily Jones
But I'm sorry.
- [00:57]
Holly Worthington
The show must go on, right?
- [00:59]
Emily Jones
Yeah, I'm sorry. Being sick is the worst.
- [01:02]
Holly Worthington
It is, but I don't have time for that. So we have a super entertaining story to share today. And I just have to say, when I first heard about this miracle story, I thought the guy in this story, Eric Murda, is Florida Man.
- [01:19]
Emily Jones
I had no idea what you were talking about when you said Florida Man. I'd never heard that phrase.
- [01:24]
Holly Worthington
Yeah, my husband introduced me to Florida Man. It's actually like a. It's a meme that was popularized, I think, clear back in, like 2013. And it's like just all these people in Florida who kind of do crazy things or dangerous things and they have articles and they all start out Florida Man. Like Florida man tries trading live alligator for beer. Or Florida man uses finger guns to still waffle House napkins according to Deputy.
- [01:53]
Emily Jones
You know, like, they're so funny. And honestly, now that I've met Eric and I know what the term means, I can kind of see it. And I don't mean that as an insult because we really do like Eric. It's just like he literally was just featured on a show called It's Florida man on HBO Max. So it's not just us.
- [02:14]
Holly Worthington
Yeah. No. And he's awesome. And he's so much more than just Florida Man. You know, he has a really big heart and such a miraculous story. So we're really excited to share his experience with our listeners.
- [02:30]
WSECU Announcer
Yes.
- [02:30]
Emily Jones
So here is Eric's story.
- [02:36]
Narrator
Eric Merida owned a ditch digging and sprinkler company. After finishing up his latest job, one late afternoon, he left Sarasota, Florida and drove his Econoline van out to the countryside. He traveled down a long dirt road until he came to a wooded area and found an old dumpster near a small convenience store next to A lake. He proceeded to dump some concrete in a dumpster and then went into the store and bought some ice cream for some young men playing horseshoes outside. He felt a twinge of guilt for dumping his concrete there and noticed garbage all over on the ground. He figured he could at least pick up the garbage in exchange for dumping the concrete. Beyond that, Eric had always found a strange solace in picking up garbage. It wasn't just about cleaning up litter. It was his way of trying to impose order on a life defined by chaos. For Eric, the garbage was more than debris. It was a metaphor for the pain and regrets he had carried for years.
- [03:43]
Eric Murda
So I led myself in the woods picking up a trail of garbage and was piling the garbage up in the woods. Figure I'll come back on my way back I'll pick it up because it was so much. I just left piles back there.
- [03:57]
Narrator
Eric found a barbed wire fence and jumped over it. He walked deeper into the woods. With each piece of garbage he picked up, he thought back on the state of his life. His heart agonized as he thought about how his addictions had affected him and those around him in recent months. He had lost his relationship with the woman he considered his wife, even though they weren't lawfully married, and that hurt enough. But when he'd lost custody of his children, his world had come crashing down on him. Eric left the garbage in a pile and started running as all of the anger and hurt he'd stored up broke through the wall he'd built around his heart.
- [04:44]
Eric Murda
Every emotion, really. But I was so angry, I just took off running. I was mad at the world. I was even mad at God. I didn't express my feelings to God, even though he knew that I didn't express them out loud. And I was afraid to argue with God and tell him out loud that I was mad at Him.
- [05:08]
Narrator
He started running with no idea where he was going to end up. The anger was pouring out of him. The memories, the pain, his world falling apart. He'd made sure the kids ate, but he neglected eating much himself. He remembered his little daughter, Amelia, telling him she wouldn't eat unless he did. It broke his heart. His ex had already moved on. Jealousy welled inside of him. It felt like a black hole that would eat him alive. The deeper Eric wandered into the swampy woods, the more his thoughts spiraled into darkness. He didn't notice how far into the wilderness he'd gone until the plant life grew thicker, the trees pressing in on all sides. He'd been walking for several hours and was miles away from any trail or road. As the sun began to set, Eric realized that he wasn't just trying to escape his thoughts anymore. He was also trying to make his way back to his van before dark. His body became cut and bruised from fighting his way through the foliage. As the sun faded behind the thick forest, a chilling thought washed over him. He was lost. He continued to wander through the darkening woods until he finally reached a break in the trees. Swampy ground transitioned to a vast lake in front of him. There it was. Far across the lake. He could see it. His van. It felt so close and yet so out of reach. Eric decided his only hope of getting home before nightfall would be to swim across the lake rather than wander through the woods again. He was so excited to see his van that he forgot about the fact that Florida's waterways are thick with dangerous wildlife, including water moccasin snakes, Burmese pythons, and alligators. Eric's desire to get back to his van outweighed any fears of what lay beneath the surface of the water.
- [07:22]
Eric Murda
By the time I found the water again, the sun was setting, so it was about 8:30 at night. I mean, the sun was pretty low. And I'm like, dude, you got like a half an hour and I'm thinking, yeah, I could swim this in a half an hour. So I went for it.
- [07:39]
Narrator
Eric had already taken off his shirt in the woods, but he still had on heavy work pants and boots. He removed his boots and waded into the dark, murky water. As he swam, it began to dawn on him that he had severely underestimated the size of the lake. And it took a great deal of energy to hold his work boots above the water. He hadn't expected there to be a current, but there was. And it made it difficult for Eric to make any progress. He started sinking, but he refused to let go of his boots. And then he heard a voice.
- [08:16]
Eric Murda
I got the work boots in my hand. They were weighing me down. And the Lord told me, I'm going to drown you with those boots. And I was like, I'm not letting go of these boots. And he. He said, I'm telling you, you're going to drown if you don't let go of the boots. I said, but that's my work. I know what you're doing. You're not taking my work from. And he said, we have to do something else. You don't work like that anymore. It's just that you don't work. That's not your work anymore. And I'm Stubborn even when it comes to God. So he almost did drown me over those boots.
- [08:54]
Narrator
Finally, Eric let go of the boots. As they sank into the dark abyss below him, Eric continued to struggle against the current.
- [09:03]
Eric Murda
The next thing weighing me down was my pants. They were heavy, wet. I didn't want to let go of him because I told him my wallet was in there. And he said, you need a new identification. And I was like, I don't want a new identification. He's like, your life's not going like it should, and you need a new id period.
- [09:27]
Narrator
Even though Eric only had two or three dollars in his wallet, he wrestled with the idea of giving up his id. He felt like God was taking everything from him. But he was still struggling to stay afloat. He would drown with these heavy pants on. Surrendering, he removed his pants. He let go, physically and metaphorically. As the pants and wallet sank to the bottom of the lake, Eric lost all sense of time. He floated on his back, staring up at the now starry night sky. Sky. He noticed three stars in a triangular shape that reminded him of an alligator head. They brought him back to reality. He realized there were likely alligators near him at this very moment. Was that something swimming under his feet? He wasn't even halfway across the lake when he suddenly felt a tug on his arm. A quick, sharp pull that sent a jolt of fear through him. Before he could react, the water exploded in a violent splash, and he was yanked under the surface. Panic surged through him as he realized he was in the jaws of an alligator. It clamped down hard on his arm and began dragging him deeper into the water.
- [10:53]
Eric Murda
It snapped my arm backwards and then kept dragging me under, trying to drown me.
- [10:59]
Narrator
Eric thrashed with all his strength, fighting against the crushing force. The pressure was unbearable, like his bones were being squeezed to the breaking point. The gator's grip was relentless, and he could feel his skin tearing. His arm was being pulled apart tendon by tendon until the joint could no longer hold. The alligator spun him in a death roll. Eric screamed into the water as the gator's jaws finally tore off his arm. Flesh still hanging, twisted and mangled where his elbow once was. The pain was beyond anything he had ever imagined, like a burning knife slicing through his nerves. He struggled with every ounce of strength he had left, desperately trying to swim upward to get away. But his mind was reeling with shock and disbelief. He had just lost an arm, and the creature that took it was still somewhere in the water with him.
- [12:10]
WSECU Announcer
WSECU isn't just one of Washington's Best Credit Unions We're a Forbes Best in State five years running. Why? Because we put you first. Lower fees, early paydays, financial guidance and service second to none. As a member owned cooperative, we love Washington as much as you do. From the Olympic Mountains to the rolling Palouse. Join us and discover how much we care about your financial well being because what we really do best is invest in you. Visit wsecu.org today to learn more. Washington Lear Let's Credit Union
- [12:41]
Alex Kanchowitz
Every day
- [12:42]
Cool Stuff Daily Announcer
the world gets a little weirder and a lot more awesome. Cool Stuff Daily takes a look at everything from mining in space to the latest in the fight against cancer to how AI is, well, basically changing everything. It's all the cool stuff you didn't know you needed to know. Join us for Cool Stuff Daily as we take a quick look at science, tech and the Wait. What stories that make you sound way smarter at dinner. Subscribe to Cool Stuff Daily now because the future's happening fast and it's way too fun to miss.
- [13:19]
Narrator
Eric surfaced gasping for air. Miraculously, the gator seemed satisfied with the severed limb and disappeared. But Eric's ordeal was far from over. There was no way he could make it across to his van now. His only option was to swim back to where he'd come from. But even that shoreline looked impossibly far away, and with one arm missing, every stroke felt like it drained the last reserves of his strength. Would he even make it to the shore before he bled out? Driven by sheer survival instincts, he kicked with everything he had, ignoring the pain and focusing solely on reaching land. When he finally dragged himself onto the muddy bank, he collapsed, naked and exhausted. He wondered how he was still alive and not bleeding out. He examined his wound. Amazingly, the alligator's death roll had spun Eric's arm like a twist tie, creating a natural tourniquet which limited the blood loss. The world around him started to fade with his slipping consciousness. Despite the pain and fear gnawing at him, his body gave in, sinking into an uneasy sleep. The next morning, Eric woke up as the sun rose in the sky. He found himself covered in ants. They crawled into his wound, creating more pain with his one arm. He sat up and tried swiping them away, but they were relentless. He also feared the alligator might return and doubted he'd have the strength to escape again. Defeated, he sank back down onto the soggy ground, questioning if there was any reason left to fight for survival.
- [15:23]
Eric Murda
Next morning I wanted to just give up and die. I just wanted to take the easy way out because I Said I got no reason to live. The kids are gone now. My arm's gone, my business is gone. I worked my whole life to do that.
- [15:42]
Narrator
Eric told God he was ready to give up. But as he sat there, consumed by self pity and on the verge of surrender, a faint humming sound in the distance pierced through his despair.
- [15:58]
Eric Murda
I didn't sit there five minutes, I bet, before I seen a helicopter. I'm waving, I'm screaming like old school. Stranded on an island. And I found a tree. It was a stump about seven, eight foot tall. And I climbed up on that stump.
- [16:13]
Narrator
Eric did everything he could to get the helicopter's attention, but the pilot couldn't see him. He was left alone again, watching his only hope disappear into the distance. But even though the helicopter had flown away, a surge of renewed energy coursed through him as he realized he wanted to live. He wasn't perfect, but his life was still worth fighting for. Eric got down from the stump and tried to make his way through the thick underbrush, but it was extremely painful.
- [16:49]
Eric Murda
I was guided back down to the water because I couldn't get through the woods. My arm was down here to my elbow at the time basically and a stick poked into the raw flesh and I just couldn't do it. I went back down to the water and I was told as long as I stay as close to the sides as possible, I'll be alright.
- [17:13]
Narrator
So that's what Eric did. As he moved through the swampy edges of the lake, he tried to hug the shore as much as his body would let him. As he walked, he screamed with all his might. He screamed both out of sheer terror and pain, but also to scream, scare away any wildlife lurking nearby.
- [17:34]
Eric Murda
I was walking on a muddy shoulder, slipping in, ripping grasses. I mean, trying not to get to where I have to swim. But you can't walk through the middle of it either because I'm cut from head to toe. I'm like waist to chest deep in water. Alligator popped up a time or two behind me. Stay as close to the shoulder as possible and you'll be all right. That's all I knew.
- [18:03]
Narrator
Eric inched forward for hours, knowing alligators could be lurking at any turn, until he finally found a large concrete block. He climbed up onto the block and rested there until nightfall. The next day was a blur of walking through waist deep water and trying to find a way around the lake. The heat and his thirst were unbearable. He tried drinking the muddy water, tried filtering it through his one hand, but it was too full of silt to quench his thirst. Three days after his attack, Eric finally forced himself to leave the lake and push through the dry foliage. Each step was excruciating. He was quickly losing hope, knowing his body couldn't continue like this much longer. Stumbling forward, he faced the very real possibility that he would never make it back to his van. He took a few more painful steps and collapsed, unable to go any further. He lay there, staring up at the sky. And then he rolled onto his stomach. That's when he saw something shining in the sky. Sunlight. A single piece of trash. A beer bottle lying on the ground.
- [19:24]
Eric Murda
Somebody threw that beer bottle over a fence into them woods. So it did give me a nice little push.
- [19:32]
Narrator
As strange as it sounds, Eric found hope in that piece of trash. It was garbage that had led him into this place, and he hoped garbage would would lead him out. And then he saw something else. He saw someone else. There was a parking lot off in the distance and a man was getting into his car.
- [19:55]
WSECU Announcer
WSECU isn't just one of Washington's best credit unions. We're a Forbes Best in State five years running.
- [20:01]
Narrator
Why?
- [20:02]
WSECU Announcer
Because we put you first. Lower fees, early paydays, financial guidance and service second to none. As a member owned corporation cooperative, we love Washington as much as you do. From the Olympic mountains to the rolling Palouse. Join us and discover how much we care about your financial well being. Because what we really do best is invest in you. Visit wsecu.org today to learn more.
- [20:23]
Alex Kanchowitz
Washington let's Credit Union hi, this is Alex Kanchowitz. I'm the host of Big Technology Podcast, a longtime reporter and an on air contributor to cnbc. And if you're like me, you're trying to figure out how artificial intelligence is is changing the business world and our lives. So each week on Big Technology, I bring on key actors from companies building AI tech and outsiders trying to influence it, asking where this is all going. They come from places like Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, and plenty more. So if you want to be smart with your wallet, your career choices, in meetings with your colleagues and at dinner parties, listen to Big Technology Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
- [21:00]
Narrator
Eric screamed as loud as he could, but for some reason the man couldn't hear him. Eric kept screaming. The man turned to leave. He opened his car door.
- [21:13]
Eric Murda
But even though I was screaming at the top of my lungs, he couldn't hear me. It was like nobody can hear you, period. And I'm telling you, I was like 20ft away from this guy and screaming at him. Nothing. And he went to get in his car. And I was like, oh, heck no. And I got up and I, like, ran through more bushes. I was not loose in that ride.
- [21:40]
Narrator
But there was the barbed wire fence again, standing in his way. Eric couldn't run any further. He was too exhausted and beaten up to climb the fence again. His heart nearly beat out of his chest. Here was help so close by, and yet the man was leaving the parking lot, Unable to hear Eric again. Eric collapsed onto the ground, Hopeless and completely drained of energy. Eric screamed out one final time. At last, Eric's desperate scream was heard. The man stopped and got out of his car. He walked to the barbed wire fence. He looked over it to where Eric lay. It's hard to imagine what the man must have thought, Seeing a one armed, mud covered, screaming, naked man lying there.
- [22:35]
Eric Murda
He's like, what are you doing back there? And I'm like, bro, I lost my arms to an alligator. He looked again. He's like, holy smokes. He's like, would you need anything? I was like, clean water, water. So he brought me two waters.
- [22:52]
Narrator
As Eric gulped the water down, he couldn't believe how such a simple thing brought him so much relief. The man called 911 and soon an emergency crew arrived on scene.
- [23:07]
Eric Murda
The helicopter came there, landed over by the dumpster where my concrete was illegally put.
- [23:15]
Narrator
Eric had come full circle, and his time in the swamp had changed him somehow. As the emergency crew cut the barbed wire fence open, to Eric, it was as if he were exiting the swamp, reborn, a new man.
- [23:29]
Eric Murda
There was the recreation and my baptism. Mother Earth herself dunking me three times. And that was the beginning of a new person. Even though I didn't die in the swamp, my rebirth was through a very unholy type baptism.
- [23:51]
Narrator
Before he went into the swamp, Eric's heart and life were full of garbage. Full of jealousy, full of hate, full of anger and resentment. He had no idea that picking up trash that fateful day would lead him to a place of redemption. But Eric says God was giving him a chance for a fresh start. After his experience in the swamp, he came out with a kinder heart and a new appreciation for life. He knows it's miraculous that he survived. And he recognizes that only through God was that possible.
- [24:28]
Eric Murda
Miraculous. I mean, it's absolutely absolute miracle. Like something called the death roll saved my life, you know, could you imagine had that alligator just let go of my arm? I'd be dragging that thing around with me and everything. Or had it done the death roll before snapping it backwards, ripped right out of my socket? Everything had to happen just right for me to survive. And that's the miracle in it that that death row str saved my life. It took my arm, but it spared my life.
- [25:03]
Narrator
Eric still has some struggles, and life is far from perfect for him. But it's clear God has a plan for Eric's life. He hopes his experience will help and inspire others. And he is absolutely convinced that miracles are real.
- [25:19]
Eric Murda
We're given opportunity, and as long as we're taking those opportunities and doing the best we can, no matter how imperfect we are, the Lord's got our back. And he'll take the most twisted, nasty situation. If you're doing your best, he will turn something really, really cool into it.
- [25:39]
Narrator
Eric has faced the unimaginable. An alligator attack, days of grueling pain and hunger, and the ever present fear of death. But his story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and a reminder that no matter how lost we think we might be, we can always be found.
- [26:02]
Holly Worthington
You know, the thing that touched me the most about this story is that Eric went into the swamp as such an angry person. I mean, he was really hurting. And yet we don't have to be perfect people for God to love us and to help us change.
- [26:20]
Emily Jones
Well, yeah, I mean, this is a man who has clearly made some mistakes in his life. Who hasn't? But, I mean, it's just a perfect example of, you know, miracles happen to anybody. And God was definitely looking out for Eric. I think one of the parts of this miracle story that I think stood out to me is that when he was first telling us his story about, you know, losing his boots and losing his pants, and this was kind of a spiritual moment for him, I was like, what's the purpose of this?
- [26:51]
Narrator
But then after he gets attacked by an alligator, you think about if he
- [26:55]
Emily Jones
hadn't taken his pants off, it would have been almost impossible to swim. And then to try to remove him at that point with only one arm and stay afloat, I mean, there just was no way.
- [27:07]
Holly Worthington
No. It was like he was going through this transformation internally, but also that saved his life. And his story has been told by so many different people, so many different sources. And in fact, one of the articles I read there was a wildlife expert named Justin Matthews, and he knows a ton about alligators. And he said, eric is definitely lucky to be alive. I was surprised that he didn't drown. He just got lucky. God must have been on his side.
- [27:40]
Emily Jones
Yes. I love it when the experts acknowledge that it's a miracle.
- [27:43]
Holly Worthington
Yeah. Also not luck.
- [27:46]
Emily Jones
They Also advised everyone reading not to swim with alligators.
- [27:52]
Holly Worthington
Yeah, don't try this at home, people. In fact, okay, I have a story really fast. It's a super short story, but Blake and I went to Florida and I was really excited to see alligators. So we went along this canal where they told us there was a ton of alligators and there were a ton of alligators in it. And we were getting, like, super close to the alligators because Blake told me the alligators can't run or jump. So I was like, oh, well, if they try to move, we can just hurry and get out of the way.
- [28:22]
Emily Jones
Just step away.
- [28:23]
Holly Worthington
Yeah. Anyway, then I got home, like a couple of weeks later. I was watching a show on TV about alligators, and it was like, they can run up to 35 miles per hour and jump. And. And I'm like, blake, Blake. Like, we seriously could have gotten killed.
- [28:39]
Emily Jones
And he's like, you could have been Florida man.
- [28:42]
Holly Worthington
We would have been Florida man.
- [28:44]
Emily Jones
You could have done it. You had your chance.
- [28:47]
Holly Worthington
Seriously. Okay, but back to the real Florida man. Eric Murda, the legend. His story is miraculous. And he was changed by this experience. And he actually goes by Sire now on social media, which is Eric spelled backwards, because he says his whole life has been reversed by this experience.
- [29:12]
Emily Jones
Yeah, Eric still is going through some hard times, as you can imagine. It would be hard to find a job when you have only one arm. So if you would like to contribute to his GoFundMe, you can find more information on his Facebook page. Sire to inspire.
- [29:28]
Holly Worthington
It's spelled C I R E. And thank you so much, Eric, for sharing your miracle story with us. And we've got lots more amazing miracle stories coming up, so make sure you watch for those.
- [29:41]
Emily Jones
And don't forget to share this podcast with your friends.
- [29:46]
Holly Worthington
Thank you for joining us. If you have a miracle to share, contact us@the Miracle Files.com or find us on social media. We release new episodes each Monday.
- [29:56]
Narrator
Yes.
- [29:56]
Emily Jones
So don't forget Miracle Mondays. Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and YouTube for amazing video content as well.
- [30:04]
Holly Worthington
Join us next time as we discover more of God's miracles. And don't forget to look for his light in your own lives.
- [30:13]
WSECU Announcer
WSECU isn't just one of Washington's best credit unions. We're a Forbes Best in State five years running.
- [30:20]
Emily Jones
Why?
- [30:20]
WSECU Announcer
Because we put you first. Lower fees, early paydays, financial guidance and service second to none. As a member owned cooperative, we love Washington as much as you do. From the Olympic mountains to the rolling Palouse join us and discover how much we care about your financial well being. Because what we really do best is invest in you. Visit wsecu.org today to learn more.
- [30:41]
Alex Kanchowitz
Washington let's Credit Union hi, this is Alex Canceroitz. I'm the host of Big Technology Podcast, a longtime reporter and an on air contributor to cnbc. And if you're like me, you're trying to figure out how artificial intelligence is changing the business world and our lives. So each week on Big Technology, I bring on key actors from companies building AI tech and outsiders trying to influence it, asking where this is all going. They come from places like Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, and plenty more. So if you want to be smart with your wallet, your career choices, in meetings with your colleagues and at dinner parties, listen to Big Technology Podcast. Wherever you get your podcasts.