Just four months after recovering from a fractured spine, Texas resident Rachel Kelly-McKee found herself fighting for her life when she was swarmed and stung more than 300 times by Africanized “killer bees” at a Rockport storage facility. The attack happened on August 15 at Goose Island Park Storage, where surveillance footage showed Kelly-McKee walking with her German Shepherd, Chelsea, moments before the bees descended. She later told CNN she believed the ordeal may have begun after Chelsea unintentionally disturbed the insects. When the dog came inside with a few bees on her, Kelly-McKee said she initially thought they were harmless honeybees and warned her not to bring them in. But as soon as they stepped back through the doorway, she said she was completely overwhelmed. Chelsea bolted in one direction while Kelly-McKee ran the other, swatting, screaming and trying desperately to shake the swarm. Her escape became even more terrifying when she ended up stuck behind an automatic storage gate that required a moving vehicle to trigger it. After seeing the chaos unfold, the facility’s owner remotely opened the gate so she could get out.
Deputy’s fast action averts tragedy
The Aransas County Sheriff’s Department said Deputy Will Newsom rushed to the scene to help pull Kelly-McKee from the sudden bee attack. Members of the Lamar Volunteer Fire Department also arrived quickly and joined the rescue effort. Newsom later explained that his goal was to get her into the rear compartment of his patrol vehicle, remove her from the danger zone and take her toward the Lamar Fire Station, where medical help could be provided. Acting fast, the deputy used a hose to spray Kelly-McKee with water in an effort to knock the bees off her body. Authorities credited the rapid response with helping prevent the terrifying incident from becoming deadly. According to the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Africanized honeybees are typically more defensive than European honeybees and may attack in large numbers when they perceive a threat to their colony.
Victim survives over 300 bee stings
Africanized bees are also known to chase a target for as far as a quarter mile, making escape especially difficult once a swarm is triggered. Deputy Newsom said even a single sting can be deadly for someone with a severe allergy, and more than 300 stings placed Kelly-McKee well within a potentially fatal range. He said he understood there was only a short window to get her away from the swarm and into medical care. Kelly-McKee has reportedly said she is not interested in blaming anyone for the frightening attack, but she hopes her experience encourages others to learn how to stay safe around aggressive bees. The Daily Mail has contacted the Aransas County Sheriff’s Department seeking further information about the incident.
