YEAR: 2003

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: July

STATE: Florida

COUNTY: Seminole County

LOCATION DETAILS: Dark secluded woodsy area bordering a lake.

NEAREST TOWN: Sanford

OBSERVED: Camping by a lake with family. Step brother took me to go get firewood from a clearing. The clearing was about 50 feet in diameter. Firewood was stacked outside the perimeter. I was about 14 years old at the time. My step brother was telling me how he would protect me if we came in contact with a bear. I was kinda frightened camping and being alone in the dark so he told me that to comfort me. Well when we arrived to the clearing we split up to get firewood. So I walked to the very outer rim and bent down to pick up a piece of wood. At first I heard a growl like a bear... I was stunned. I immediately looked for my step brother to tell him to knock it off. He looked at me and said I didn't do anything what are you talking about. As soon as he said that to my left in the dense tree brush I saw out of the corner of my eye a tall dark figure stand up about 8-9 feet tall (approximation but it was huge). It then grabbed two nearby small trees and began to shake them and my eyes lit up. My brother ran over to see what was happening and then took one look and bolted off to the other side back to camp leaving me. I ran to him screaming and I guess he felt bad doubled back to pick me up and then ran back to the campsite. This is important to note that it was not an alligator or a bear or anything I can identify that can reach that height standing like a person. I am a non-denominational christian and I don't necessarily believe in "bigfoot". But what I saw really does put me off and fits the description to the T. Im now stationed in Colorado in the United States Army and cant wait to go back to Florida.

ALSO NOTICED: Nothing else was observed.

OTHER WITNESSES: One other than me my step brother.

OTHER STORIES: No

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Night time.

ENVIRONMENT: Woodlands with the occasional patch of swampy lake.

Follow-up investigation report:

I spoke with the witness via phone conversation on 4/14/14. The witness did not have any further details regarding the sighting except for where this occurred which was Gemini Springs, Sanford. Gemini Springs is a park located south of Deltona. Deltona Florida is a residential community, the largest city between Orlando and Daytona Beach. The park is a 210 acre park, 6.5 million gallons of sparkling fresh water bubble up from the two springs each day.

The park is relevantly close to other state parks, which may be a corridor for Bigfoot and wildlife to navigate between areas. The Ocala National Forest is nearby, our database is full of reports from and and around this Forest.