Man, 19, bitten by venomous snake: 'My life just flashed through my head'
19-year-old Zamar Miller said his 'life just flashed through my head,' after he was bitten on the foot by a venomous cottonmouth snake outside his Florida home on July 4th. Four officers responded to the home and captured the snake as it hid beneath a garden hose cabinet reel. The snake was later safely released in a remote area of the wetlands.
A Florida man says his life “flashed” before his eyes after a venomous cottonmouth snake bit him on the foot, leaving his leg in “throbbing pain” last week.
The snake, also known as a water moccasin, had been concealed when it struck the victim just outside his home on July 4, Pembroke Pines Police said.
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“It was just a shock,” 19-year-old Zamar Miller told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “I ran back inside and then my life just flashed through my head. I didn’t know what was next.”
Four officers responded to the home in the Cobblestone community and captured the snake as it hid beneath a garden hose cabinet reel. Police said they took photos of the snake so paramedics could identify the species and treat the victim with the correct anti-venom. The snake was later safely released in a remote area of the wetlands.
Miller was released from the hospital Monday night and has been using a walker to keep the weight off his "swollen" foot until he makes a full recovery, the Sun-Sentinel reported.
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Police used the incident to remind residents that the area is in the middle of “Snake Bite Season,” which runs from April through October. They advised caution when walking in tall grass and moving outdoor objects.
Police took captured and took photos of the reptile to help doctors identify the species so they could use the correct anti-venom. (Pembroke Pines Police Department)
Medical assistance should be sought immediately for a snake bite. The affected area should be immobilized and kept lower than your heart, officials said. It’s important to take a picture of the reptile or memorize its appearance to help doctors identify the species and anti-venom for treatment.
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There are 44 species of native snakes in the state, but only six are venomous, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The venomous snakes are the eastern coral snake, the southern copperhead, the cottonmouth, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, the timber rattlesnake and the dusky pygmy rattlesnake.
The FWC says that even the venomous species don’t usually pose a threat unless stepped on or provoked.
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