Julia Banks spent five years raising Reef, an alligator she rescued as a hatchling, convinced their bond made him different. She swam with him, fed him by hand, and treated him like family. But on August 18, 2023, that trust turned deadly.

That afternoon, in her backyard pool, Reef attacked without warning—clamping onto her leg and dragging her under in a violent “death roll.” Despite quick emergency response, Julia didn’t survive. Reef was later euthanized, following state law.

Julia was beloved for her compassion toward animals, but experts had warned her: wild instincts can’t be trained out. Her tragic death has since reignited calls for stricter laws on exotic pets.

Julia’s story is a sobering reminder—wild animals, no matter how loved, remain wild.