An Australian man is lucky to be alive after he jumped into the Johnstone River that is filled with dangerous crocodiles to impress a girl he had a crush on.
18-year-old Lee de Paauw was at a backpackers hostel in the town of Innisfail when he started bragging that he could swim in the river, a known habitat for aggressive saltwater crocodiles.
Moments after jumping into the river, De Paauw was attacked by a crocodile and dragged six metres.
However, De Paauw then managed to swim to the stairs and came out with a bite in his left arm.
British backpacker, Sophie Paterson, was having drinks with friends at a hostel in northern Queensland when Lee de Paauw jumped into a river filled with crocodiles in an attempt to impress her.
“I didn’t know there was a crocs there. I just done it for Sophie,” said De Paauw. “She’s beautiful, caring and kind.”
Securing a job fruit picking, Paterson said she couldn’t visit De Paauw because of her work commitments but has agreed to go on a date with him.
“I’d have to be quite twisted to be impressed by that, I mean, nothing’s impressive about that,” Paterson said. “I think, you know, risking your life, there’s nothing funny about that.”
Doctors have said De Paauw will not lose his arm but will surely be scared for life.