An Alabama hiker was subject to extreme symptoms for 10 hours after getting bitten by a Copperhead.
Videos by Suggest
Tyler Roach was hiking in the Sipsey Wilderness with his father on September 4 before tragedy struck. Although he ultimately survived his encounter with the Copperhead, he cut it close.
He told the story himself on his GoFundMe page, which he set up to help him with the “unforeseen medical bills” and “day-to-day expenses through a lengthy recovery.”
The story is a nail-biting one. Especially if you’re a hiker yourself.
Tyler Roach Had To Fight His Way Out Of The Wilderness After Near-Fatal Snake Bite
While hiking, Roach “felt a sharp pain” in his left calf. Upon looking down, he “saw a large Copperhead biting down” on his leg.
Unable to call for help for an immediate rescue, he’d have to escape on foot himself.
“We were in an area with no cell phone coverage,” he explained, “leaving us with no option other than to hike out, a hike I ultimately would not be able to complete.”
Although Roach didn’t specify how long he managed to keep hiking for, ultimately, he failed. The effort to rescue him, however, was a gargantuan one.
“It would end up taking over twelve agencies and groups of amazing and selfless individuals more than ten hours to get me to safety.”
“Roughly ten hours after being bitten, I would be carried via MedAir to the hospital to receive treatment. I was out of the woods, but the fight was far from over,” he said. Roach still had to endure many horrifying symptoms before he was declared in recovery.
Roach Suffered Greatly, Put Pulled Through
“After facing allergic reactions to antivenin, extreme dehydration, severe muscle damage, and the threat of kidney failure, I am finally able to start physical therapy five days later,” he wrote.
“The doctors say that things are looking up, but the road to recovery will be a very long and slowly progressing one, leaving me unsure of when I will be able to return to work with estimates in several months.”
If you’d like to assist Tyler Roach on his tumultuous road to recovery, you can do so on is fundraiser page.