In the United States, a mother from Maine narrowly escaped death after picking up a six-spotted tiger beetle during a sightseeing tour. Suffering from a severe allergic reaction, she was saved thanks to the quick intervention of the personnel on site.
A curious gesture that almost cost her life. In the United States, Antoinette Webb, a mother from the state of Maine, faced death after a violent allergic reaction while visiting the historic site of Fort Knox with her 9-year-old twins at the beginning of May. Thanks to the prompt intervention of the personnel present, she was saved at the last moment, as reported by the local WABI television channel.
It all started when Antoinette Webb handled an insect she described as “a beautiful green beetle”. “I picked it up in my hand, saying ‘Wow, you’re so beautiful’. A few seconds later, I felt a burning sensation all over my body,” she recounted. Quickly, her condition deteriorated: difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, and lips turning blue.
“Her airways were completely blocked”
Dean Martin, Director of the Friends of Fort Knox association and a former military medic, immediately intervened. “She was lying down, I held her hand while calling for help. Her airways were completely blocked,” he explained.
With other employees present on site, they quickly administered Benadryl, an antihistamine, while waiting for medical assistance to arrive. She had apparently suffered from a relatively rare allergic reaction caused by this beetle also known as the “tiger beetle”. An insect that inhabits the central states of the US to the East Coast as well as the east of Canada.
Transported to the hospital, Antoinette Webb eventually received four doses of epinephrine to stop the allergic reaction. The next day, still very emotional, she returned to the site with her 9-year-old twins to thank those who had saved her life. “Without them, my children would not have their mother today,” she tearfully confided.
The American, a former military member, assures that she will never forget the help provided by the teams present on that day.
