Michelle Bahme recounted a harrowing experience to 12News as she and her family were concluding a successful camping trip. While preparing their truck for the drive back to the Valley, her 9-year-old son Lennon approached her in distress.
“Lennon came running up, crying ‘Owie, owie,'” Bahme recalled. “I immediately checked his hand and saw two puncture wounds on his ring finger, with a couple of drops of blood.”
The family did not initially identify the snake species that had bitten Lennon. They quickly loaded him into the truck and drove until they reached an area with sufficient cellular reception to call 911.
An ambulance met them midway and transported Lennon to Yavapai Regional Medical Center.
Bahme described her fear during the ordeal: “I was terrified of losing my child. That’s what was racing through my mind.”
Upon arrival at the hospital, Lennon’s hand had become swollen, and his finger was turning purple.
“The condition worsened rapidly,” Bahme said.
Doctors confirmed that the symptoms were caused by a rattlesnake bite and began administering antivenom. Lennon was subsequently airlifted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where he continues to receive treatment.
Bahme noted that her son had been given approximately 40 vials of antivenom. “It halts the progression of the venom but cannot reverse the damage,” she explained.
By the time 36 hours had passed, Lennon’s finger had turned nearly black. Doctors warned that the tissue damage was severe, and there was a possibility that Lennon might lose part of his finger.
“We’re now waiting to see the extent of the damage,” Bahme said.
Despite the traumatic experience, Bahme praised Lennon’s resilience. “For someone who has been bitten by a rattlesnake, he has handled it remarkably well,” she noted. “In his groggy state, he kept saying, ‘No more snakes. No more snakes.’”
A neighbor later located the rattlesnake believed to be responsible for the bite.
Bahme reflected on the incident, expressing regret that it happened to her young son. “It’s unfortunate for Lennon, who was simply curious. But honestly, anyone could have encountered that snake, given how well it was camouflaged,” she said.
The full impact of the bite on Lennon’s finger and his timeline for recovery remain uncertain, but Bahme acknowledged that a long road to recovery lies ahead.