Photo: Moment RF
74-year-old Linda Briggs was outside of her home in Murrieta on June 28th when she was swarmed by hundreds of bees. According to SF Gate, Briggs tried to swat the insects away with a towel, but they continued to sting her. A neighbor who witnessed the incident called 911 and came over to the woman's house with a hose, attempting to spray the bees off of Briggs and away from the property.
Firefighters arrived on scene and used "water and foam" to try and get rid of the bees but they were unsuccessful. Briggs and a firefighter were transported to a local hospital to be treated for numerous stings. Upon examination, medical professionals found over 700 stingers inside of Briggs' skin. Studies shared by the Mayo Clinic reveal that "if you get stung more than a dozen times, the accumulation of venom may induce a toxic reaction and make you feel quite sick." Needless to say, Briggs' body was filled with extremely high levels of bee toxin.
Briggs is very grateful to be alive after experiencing the traumatic event, and commented on the dangers of being stung one more time as she recovers.
“People said it was really lucky. That some people have died from this and that I had a lot of toxin in me. If I were to get stung again, that could be fatal. I was very lucky that I didn’t die."
A GoFundMe page was created by a neighbor who explained that Briggs is not able to escape the bees, as they have invaded the walls of her house. The issue has gotten so bad, that the concerned neighbor considers it a "community health threat" that needs repaired immediately, and is seeking the help of generous individuals to fund the vital home improvement project.
Briggs is expected to make a full recovery.