Valentine’s Day took a horrifying turn for the Clarke family during a casual walk along the Daytona Beach boardwalk. Thirteen-year-old Sullivan Clarke became the victim of a brutal, unprovoked attack that would leave him fighting for his life.
Without warning, 44-year-old Jermaine Long approached Sullivan and deliberately slashed his throat. The suddenness of the violence sent shockwaves through the family, transforming a peaceful outing into a desperate struggle for survival.
Sullivan’s mother, Lori Clarke, initially believed Long was attempting to steal her son’s phone. Her instinctive shout of alarm came a split second too late to prevent the devastating wound.
The father’s description of the injury was chillingly graphic. He recounted seeing “all the way down to the meat,” a horrifying image etched into his memory as he desperately tried to comprehend the unfolding tragedy.
Remarkably, Sullivan credits a fleeting glance upwards – at a slingshot game on the boardwalk – with saving his life. He instinctively turned his head at the precise moment of the attack.
That split-second reaction meant the blade caught the side of his neck instead of a direct, fatal blow. Doctors later confirmed the gash was perilously close to being one millimeter deeper, a difference of mere fractions that would have meant certain death.
The motive behind the senseless attack remains unknown. Authorities are currently holding Jermaine Long without bond as they investigate the circumstances surrounding this shocking act of violence.
Despite the unimaginable trauma, Sullivan is alive, a testament to his quick reflexes and the resilience of the human spirit. His family now faces the long road to recovery, grappling with the emotional and physical scars of this Valentine’s Day nightmare.
