SWIFT CURRENT — A Sunday afternoon round of golf at a Texas course took a drastic turn for the worse for a Swift Current family.
Danny Fehr was bitten by a rattlesnake while playing with a couple of friends, sending him into anaphylactic shock and cardiac arrest. He was admitted to the intensive care unit in Odessa, Texas, while his wife Stephanie and two of their three children drove from their Saskatchewan home to be by his side.
Fehr, who works in Texas, was intubated and heavily sedated upon his admission. He has since been weaned off the sedatives; however has not woken up. An MRI was conducted, showing a severe brain injury, but the extent is not yet known.
“They will repeat the MRI in a few days to see if his brain has healed any on its own,” said Kristie Klimm, Danny’s sister-in-law, who organized a GoFundMe page for the family.
According to the fundraising page, Klimm said Fehr did not have medical insurance and medical expenses are continuing to rise.
“With the uncertainty of the future weighing heavily on this family, I’d like to try and get them as much help as I possibly can so they can focus on Danny. Every little bit helps and we are extremely grateful for any support,” added Klimm on the GoFundMe page.
According to an online post from Fehr’s wife, rattlesnakes in the area have evolved to not rattle, as a way to protect themselves from wild pigs.
“Danny is a hunter and a smart man. Had he known this, he would have taken precautions to such,” she said.
Fehr still remains in stable but critical condition. The GoFundMe page was set up to help the family pay for the outstanding medical costs and transportation back to Saskatchewan.
The goal for the fundraiser is set at $100,000. The page has reached over $24,500 since July 31.
“He has a family that needs him and loves him beyond measure. We are nothing without this man,” said Stephanie.
