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LUCKY ESCAPE
Teen, 18, fights off 12ft crocodile as it tries to drag her underwater as she describes scary moment it grabbed her leg
A TEEN is lucky to be alive after she fought off a 12-foot-long crocodile while swimming in Mexico.
Nevada native Kiana Hummel, 18, was swimming just before midnight in the ocean near her Marriot resort in Puerto Vallerta when the attack happened.
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Hummel said she and her friend decided to go a late-night swim, but as soon as they reached the water, a croc jumped out of nowhere and grabbed her right leg.
It then tried to pull her into the water, forcing screams from the teen.
That's when Sarah Laney, a person also on vacation, heard Hummel's cries and ran to help the frightened teen.
"It was most definitely one of the craziest, scariest things I've ever experienced," Laney told .
"Honestly, I will never forget it when the crocodile's head came above water. I just went into shock."
Hummel tried to remain calm as she was pulled underwater, hitting the croc until it let go of her.
She said she was almost out of the water when the croc grabbed her left ankle and dragged her back underwater.
"I just remember saying, please don't leave me," Hummel said. "And I didn't think I was getting out that second time. That was just really bad."
Finally, the group of people that gathered was able to get the croc off of Hummel and bring her to safety.
Although she's lucky not to have lost any limbs, she has extensive muscle and tissue damage down to the bone, rendering her unable to walk.
Ariana Martinez, Hummel's mom, immediately flew to see her daughter from San Francisco after she heard of the attack on Facetime.
"I'm on the phone with her, she's yelling, 'get me an ambulance, get me an ambulance to the hospital,'" Martinez said. "It took them forever."
It apparently took 45 minutes for an ambulance to take Hummel to the hospital, Laney recalled. Martinez claimed the hospital made Hummel pay thousands before giving her any treatment.
"The safety and security of our guests and associates are our top priority, and we can confirm that appropriate signage, as well as night patrolling and red flags were and are properly in place," said Marriott spokesperson Kerstin Sachl.
"We review our plans and procedures often and work closely with the appropriate authorities on an ongoing basis," she continued. "Our staff is trained in how to respond to safety matters appropriately. We encourage all guests to be vigilant for their safety."
A has been created to help Hummel with her expenses.
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"Due to an unfortunate horrific event while taking a girls trip in Puerto Vallarta Mexico, Kiana was viciously attacked by a 12ft crocodile while on the beachfront of the Marriott Resort," wrote Hummel's friend Eliam Estrada who organized the fundraiser.
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"This amazing and powerful woman managed to fight for her life and fight off this wild animal as it was attached to her lower legs, and also being dragged into the ocean!"
Hummel is expected to go into second surgery this weekend and doctors say she is likely to walk by the fall.
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