His mate was filming him for a promotional video. What a lucky, lucky boy. Video at the YT link below, story at the Sky News link.
He swam straight at it, fuck.

Mr La Verde spent 10 days in the hospital after having face and jaw reconstruction surgery and a craniotomy, with doctors removing part of his right temporal lobe that had been pierced by a fractured bone from his cracked skull.
His emergency surgery lasted six hours and he will need a couple more surgeries in the future. He now must wear a helmet to protect the right side of his head.


Man survives Florida alligator attack by 'grabbing its teeth, tongue and snout' as video shows terrifying episode | US News | Sky News