‘Just scary': Family of Sask. man bitten by rattlesnake in Texas raising funds to bring him home
Daniel Fehr, who lives in Texas for his job, was bitten on his left ankle by a rattlesnake during a round of golf on July 27.
He was on the seventh hole at the course with a couple of friends when it happened. His family says a short time later, the bite triggered an allergic reaction that led to anaphylactic shock and eventually to cardiac arrest.
Fehr was then admitted to intensive care in Odessa, Texas.
His wife, Stephanie, who lives in Swift Current, told CTV News she felt like something was wrong right away after not hearing from her husband for an unusually long period of time.
'My husband called me 100 times a day, and he said he would call me when he was done golfing, and I was like, 'Oh, he should be done by now,'' Fehr said. 'Something didn't feel right. My youngest son and I checked his location and it was moving rapidly on the map, and I was just like, 'What was going on?''
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Daniel Fehr
(Photo courtesy: Payton Fehr)
Daniel Fehr
(Photo courtesy: Payton Fehr)
Daniel Fehr
(Photo courtesy: Payton Fehr)
Daniel Fehr
(Photo courtesy: Payton Fehr)
Daniel Fehr
(Photo courtesy: Payton Fehr)
Daniel Fehr
(Photo courtesy: Payton Fehr)
Daniel Fehr
(Photo courtesy: Payton Fehr)
Daniel Fehr
(Photo courtesy: Payton Fehr)
Her fears were confirmed when Daniel's phone location shifted to a hospital.
Once she found out he was undergoing immediate treatment, Stephanie and her two youngest kids drove to Montana hoping to catch the soonest flight to Texas, but with limited options, they decided to make the entire drive, more than 2,500 kilometres from their Swift Current home.
'Every time he's home, the dad jokes never stop,' Daniel's daughter Payton said. 'When he's not home, he's always sending us jokes, and is always calling us to know what we're doing. And then when he's home, he'll always take the boys golfing.'
Stephanie describes Payton as 'mini-Danny,' and credits her for her strength and support amid an unimaginable situation.
In the days since the bite, Daniel has undergone several procedures, including a tracheostomy. His family says many of his organs have stabilized, but questions remain over a possible brain injury, caused by swelling.
Daniel Fehr
(Photo courtesy: Payton Fehr)
Stephanie says Daniel's medical status is still day-to-day, as the family spends nearly all of their time at his side in hospital, waiting for updates.
'Our whole world is lying in a hospital bed,' said Stephanie. 'We don't know what the future is going to bring for us. It's scary, I don't wish this on anybody.'
'Us kids are definitely going to grow up a lot faster so quickly,' said Payton. 'My brother stepped in as the man in the house. He's helping pay for things and provide. And then my little brother is just growing up too quickly.'
Their situation is made worse by Daniel's lack of insurance in the United States, creating an additional layer of financial pressure for the family.
A GoFundMe has been created for the Fehr family to help with Daniel's medical expenses and his transportation back to Saskatchewan, a major priority for Stephanie.
'We need to get him home. We don't have the funds to do so, it's just scary,' said Stephanie. 'If something goes bad, I don't want to have to deal with that here. We want him home. He'd be so mad at himself right now. He thought he was invincible, and apparently he's not.
'We just are really relying on the kindness of strangers. Saskatchewan is a wonderful place, and I'm just hoping they can rally to help our family somehow,' she added.
As of Friday afternoon, the fundraiser had surpassed $12,000.
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