Woman Incurs Injuries After Snake Wraps Onto Her Arm Before Hawk Swoops Down For Its Prey

Aug 14, 2023 by apost team

A snake falling from the sky and landing right on your arm might seem unthinkable, but that's exactly what happened to Peggy Jones, 64, while she was doing some yard work on her Texas estate with her husband, Wendell Jones, 66. Worse, a hawk also swooped down for the kill after seeing its prey on Peggy's arms.

One warm summer afternoon in July 2023, Peggy hopped on the tractor to mow the lawn when, out of nowhere, a snake dropped from the clear blue sky, wrapping itself tightly around her right forearm. Shocked and horrified, Peggy screamed and attempted to shake the snake off. She prayed for help as she struggled to free herself from the unexpected entanglement.

But the snake was just as terrified. It reacted by fiercely lashing out at her, striking again and again. The more she struggled to break free, the more the snake constricted around her arm.

The shocking situation took an even more dangerous turn when a brown-and-white hawk swooped down to reclaim the fallen snake – its intended meal. The bird aggressively snatched, scratched, and jabbed at Peggy's arm as it used its powerful talons to retrieve its prey.

As described in Wendell's Facebook post, the hawk made multiple swoops at the snake, approximately three or four times, with Peggy's arm caught in the middle. Once, the bird even lifted Peggy’s arm up in the air, causing her to feel that this was the way she was going to die. The struggle lasted for what felt like an eternity, but the hawk eventually succeeded in uncoiling the snake and flying away with its meal.

Peggy was covered in blood from the ordeal after the bizarre encounter left her with scratches, bruises and punctured arms. Wendell, who was working indoors, was alerted by her screams and frantic movements, so he rushed to her aid and took her to the hospital, according to The New York Times.

At the emergency room, doctors determined the woman's injuries came from the hawk's talons. Fortunately, she didn't have a snake bite and was released that same evening from the hospital. The couple was asked to monitor her arms for swelling or changes in color, which didn't happen. 

"I think I went into some kind of survival mode," Peggy said, per CBS News. "I think the adrenaline took over, and there was one point before the hawk came that I thought, 'I can't get rid of this... I'm going to die right here.'"  

After treating her wounds, the doctors also gave her antibiotics to facilitate the healing of her wounds. However, beyond the physical pain, Peggy is still reeling from the nightmares of the attack. 

Her unsettling dreams may also be attributed to a previous snake-related misfortune she experienced in 2021 when she was bitten by a venomous snake while working on another property in Silsbee. Understandably, she has developed a heightened wariness of snakes and similar creatures.

“She’s snake-wary now,” Wendell said. “I’m pretty sure she’ll be frightened of anything that looks or moves like a snake.” 

Though living with the trauma, Peggy maintains a positive outlook, expressing her gratitude for surviving such an extraordinary ordeal. She finds strength in her survival and the support she has received from the global community. 

“I consider myself to be the luckiest person alive,” Peggy said. “I was attacked by a snake and a hawk and I lived to tell about it.”

apost.com

The good news is Peggy Jones went on her way to recovery. Did you have any close encounters with a snake or hawk, just like Peggy Jones? Do you know someone who might find this story interesting? Pass this along to them!