While his intentions were noble, Dan Deiger, a New York man, was left hospitalized after attempting to help a snake out of a New Jersey road. His selfless intent was met with a nasty bite from a snake that, unbeknownst to him at the time, was venomous.
Videos by Suggest
On Wednesday, May 21, Deiger was cycling at the Palisades Cliffs in New Jersey. All of a sudden, he saw a small snake in his bike path, according to a release shared by Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH). Deiger was not fearful, but concerned for the animal.
So, instead of avoiding the snake, he decided to act. In an attempt to drive it off the road, he tried to nudge the reptilian with a water bottle. However, the snake remained on the road. That’s when Deiger attempted to grab the snake with his hand. However, in the blink of an eye, the snake bit Deiger’s finger.
Immediately, Deiger knew something was wrong. He was bleeding profusely, and he managed to get two passing walkers to call 911. The dispatcher directed a Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center ambulance to pick up Deiger.
Venomous Bite
Turns out, Dan Deiger had been bittne by a Copperhead snake, a venomous snake. While its venom is rarely fatal, as per HMH, it can cause “significant damage to the affected limb.” Not only can the venom cause severe pain, but it can eventually lead to necrosis and internal bleeding.
Deiger was hospitalized at Hackensack University Medical Center. He was administered antivenom to prevent the snake’s venom from causing further damage to Deiger’s body. A photo shared by HMH shows Deiger’s finger, swollen and black.
After two nights of hospitalization, Deiger was finally discharged. He returned to his home in New York City, where he works as a writer. For a couple of weeks, however, he will have to wait for his swelling and bruising to subside, as per HMH.
“He still loves the Palisades and its wildlife, but he’s learned a valuable lesson: admire from a distance,” HMH wrote. “He’ll think twice before intervening again, no matter how good his intentions.”