Dad of woman, 31, killed by alligator details frantic phone call he received while she took her final breaths... as it's revealed victim noticed BUBBLES on river moments before predator struck

By LAURA PARNABY, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER and STEVE HELLING, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 20:48, 1 July 2026 | Updated: 20:52, 1 July 2026 A veteran whose daughter was fatally mauled by an alligator in Florida has recalled the awful moment he learned of her fate as she lay dying on a river bank.  Robert Clark, 57, said he received a frantic phone call from his 31-year-old daughter Brittany's best friend, Jayden Hernandez, at about 1.30pm on Sunday. The girls had been hiking in Little Big Econ State Forest with Brittany's boyfriend, Chance Ellison, when a 12-foot alligator ambushed the trio in three-foot-deep water.  Chilling 911 audio from the scene previously revealed how the predator performed a 'death roll' on Clark by dragging her underwater before viciously tearing off both of her arms.  Chance heroically tried to save his girlfriend by fighting off the gator, and once it was subdued, he dragged her from the water with the help of Jayden.  At this point, Jayden used Brittany's phone to call her father.   Speaking from California on Wednesday, Robert told the Daily Mail Jayden had sounded 'distraught' as she attempted to let him know what was happening.  'She was having a hard time telling us what was going on,' Robert said. His voice cracked as he added that he 'never got the opportunity' to say goodbye to his beloved daughter because of the mortal injuries she had sustained.  Orlando native Brittany Clark, 31, died during a horrific alligator attack in central Florida on Sunday Brittany with her brother Nathan and father Robert, 57, who has opened up to the Daily Mail about his 'caring' and 'nature loving' daughter Robert praised Chance as a 'hero' for his brave efforts trying to fight off the alligator.  'He reacted and did everything he could. I know he had a lot of regret because he felt like he couldn't... do enough.'  A medical examiner's report obtained by the Daily Mail described how Chance fought the alligator even as it dragged them both underwater into a 'death roll'.  A 'death roll' is a technique alligators use to subdue prey by violently twisting onto their backs before attempting to pull the victim underwater to drown them. Jayden also described the ordeal in a Facebook post, saying that Brittany had noticed 'air bubbles' in the water minutes before the attack which ended her life.  'There were air bubbles in the water and I commented on how it might be a sneaky gator,' the 21-year-old Orlando native wrote. 'It was just a joke…. And just a few minutes later my best friend got attacked... I can not go into detail but I won't EVER forget every detail of this scene.'  'Words can't even explain how I feel. I lost my best friend. I lost my best friend right in front of me,' she added.  Jayden said that even after Brittany had suffered severe injuries to her arms, she was 'aware and literally yelling at Chance and me what to do.' Brittany Clark's boyfriend, Chance Allison, heroically tried to fight off the 12-foot alligator Jayden Hernandez, right, was on the fateful hike with Brittany, who she described as her 'best friend'. Jayden called Brittany's parents from the riverbank during her final moments 'We called for help, and it felt like eternity talking to the dispatcher but it was only 12 minutes,' she wrote. 'Twelve whole long minutes of my best friend holding it together being the strongest person in the world.' Screaming and crying could be heard in the harrowing audio recording of the 911 call made by Chance and Jayden released by emergency services.  Chance could be heard telling call handlers he was 'still trying to get her arms away from the alligator's mouth', while they begged responders to 'hurry'.   Moments later, he told the operator that 'both her arms, both her arms are off', while her friend told them that one arm was 'hanging by a thread'.  When the dispatcher asked where the other arm was, Jayden replied: 'Gone.'  Chance described the situation as 'bad, real bad' while urging responders to 'please hurry... she's losing a lot of...' before his voice trailed off.  The medical examiner's report stated that Chance heroically fought the alligator which killed Brittany even as it dragged them both underwater into a 'death roll'.  A 'death roll' is a technique alligators use to subdue prey by violently twisting onto their backs before attempting to pull the victim underwater to drown them.  The report describes how Chance Allison risked his life and eventually managed to pry his girlfriend Brittany Clark (pictured) from the gator's jaws – but it was too late to save her Jayden said Brittany was her 'best friend' and they loved exploring the outdoors together   Brittany was described as 'fun-loving' in a fundraiser launched by her family in the aftermath  Jayden told the 911 operator that the gator eventually 'went away', before describing Brittany's injuries as 'horrible'.   'We're far off the trail, we're off of a little launch area by the river... We need help now!' she told the operator, who told them a helicopter was on the way.  Brittany's heartbroken father said he blames Florida officials for failing to warn hikers about the dangers which lurked in the Econlockhatchee River where she died.  He said there are no signs in the area of Barr Street Trailhead, despite it being a popular hiking spot located just 20 miles outside of Orlando.  The trail was closed in the aftermath of Brittany's death until further notice.  The medical examiner's office said the gator involved has been 'put down' and decapitated, with its head kept as 'evidence'.  Chance said on Wednesday that he was 'still in disbelief' about his girlfriend's death.   'We had so many things planned out and memories to be made,' he wrote on Facebook.  'You were such a special person and did not deserve to go out in such a way. I love you.' He thanked his family and friends for their 'kind messages' which have 'really helped me hold together just as much as I'm falling apart'.  Brittany was 'very close' with her family, her father said. She is pictured beside him, with her sister Tiffany, 29, and her late paternal grandmother on the far left  Brittany was close with her siblings, Tiffany, 29, pictured left and Nathan, 35, pictured right  The vicious attack unfolded as the trio took a dip in the shallows of the Econlockhatchee River (pictured above) in Little Big Econ State Forest, 20 miles north-east of Orlando Robert told the Daily Mail that Chance had been dating his daughter for about a year, but they were 'tremendously in love' and were already talking about marriage and children.  The couple were days away from moving in together, and Brittany was planning to introduce Chance to her family in California with a visit planned in October.  'Every time my daughter called home, she was like, "This is the one, this is the man. This is the one that I want to grow old with and have children with",' Robert said, his voice cracking.  'She was very happy and content with him.'  Brittany also leaves behind her parents, Robert and Lynn, brother Nathan, 35, and sister Tiffany, 29.  'She was very fun and caring. She loved everything - loved animals, loved wildlife,' her father said.   'She was very outgoing, loved riding motorcycles, hiking, being out in the nature, enjoying the wonderful sites that Florida has to offer.'  The family has launched a fundraiser to help cover the expense of transporting her remains to her parents in California.   No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. 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