The sister of alligator attack victim Brittany Clark’s late best friend penned an emotional tribute as heartless online trolls showed no compassion after her shock death — with some saying they felt worse for the gator.
Ashley Borrego, whose sister Sidney Castillo died at 20 years old in a December 2015 car accident, wrote about Clark on Facebook Friday — just five days after she was mauled by an alligator while swimming in the Econlockhatchee River at Little Big Econ State Forest in Central Florida.
“Brittany was my sister Sidney’s best friend and was such [an] amazing human,” Borrego commented underneath a post shared by Clark’s aunt, Gena Smith.
“She often checked in with me and sent me memories of my sister, watching her grow up from afar reminded me of Sidney often, I know she is going to be missed by so many people, but my sister is up there with open arms and a big smile waiting for her!”
Clark — who was from Sacramento but was living in Orlando at the time of her death when the vicious reptile locked her in a “death roll” — had flooded her Facebook page with heartbreaking salutes to Castillo.
“Happy heavenly birthday to my best friend,” Clark posted alongside a framed photo of herself and Castillo on May 21.
“Really missing you this morning,” Clark wrote on Aug. 20, 2018, tagging Castillo. “Keep me on this beautiful path my dear.”
Clark was just 31 years old when she died on June 28. The alligator completely tore off one of her arms while the other was barely hanging onto her body.
The construction worker’s horrified boyfriend Chance Allison and roommate Jayden Hernandez watched the grim ordeal unfold and tried to save her from the deadly attack.
While a wildlife expert said Clark did nearly everything she could to avoid the fatal mauling and Chance quashed rumors that the trio were warned not to go into the river, critics quickly blasted the victim for swimming in the murky river where gators live.
“Sorry, but it’s hard for me to feel any compassion for Brittany Clark,” someone charged on TikTok. “I do feel bad for the gators.”
“Same, I don’t either. All we DO as humans is destroy what little [these] animals have left to inhabit,” someone replied.
“Being from Florida is knowing not to get into any body of water you can’t see through. RIP Brittany Clark tho [sic],” another posted.
But other Floridians defended Clark – saying they have swum in the very same river countless times without even considering the deadly risk.
“This picture was taken in the SAME spot on the Econ, the Econ we all grew up swimming in every weekend, making the best memories,” Jacksonville woman Courtney Marie shared on Facebook alongside a photo of herself by the Econlockhatchee River.
“All of these insensitive comments I’ve been reading are absolutely gut wrenching in the fact that this beautiful girl lost her life in which it could have been any of us multiple times.”
Dozens of others chimed in, reminiscing about summers they spent swimming at the state park with friends and loved ones.
Borrego did not immediately return requests for comment.
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