Texas grandmother’s unbelievable ordeal: snake falls from sky, hawk swoops to seize prey, leaving her injured

UNITED STATES: In a surprising turn of events during a routine yard work session, an American married couple found themselves in a life-threatening situation that would be hard to believe if it weren’t for their firsthand account.

The couple, who have shared 45 years of marriage, had embarked on their usual three-hour lawn-mowing chore on their historic property in the scorching Texas heat.

Little did they know, this routine task would turn into an extraordinary tale of survival and nature’s intervention.

As Peggy, 64, was operating a mower at the back of their property, a sudden and unexpected encounter left her grappling with danger. Out of nowhere, a snake plummeted from the sky and landed on her arm, leaving her bloodied and terrified.

“All of a sudden, out of the clear blue sky, a snake fell … and landed on my arm,” Peggy recalled, according to CNN.

Describing the reptile as a dark-colored, 4½-foot-long creature, Peggy’s immediate attempts to shake it off were met with resistance as the snake wrapped itself around her arm, its fangs striking menacingly close to her face.

The more the grandmother of four tried to rip the snake off her, the tighter it would wrap and squeeze around her arm, she said.

With desperation setting in, Peggy’s cries for help went unanswered due to the noise of both her own tractor and the traffic from a nearby highway.

Her husband Wendell, 66, was mowing the front of the property and was oblivious to her dire situation, and that’s how Peggy said she knew she was effectively alone.

photo from Peggy Jones

Hawk intervened

In an unexpected turn, just as Peggy feared a snakebite with its fatal venom, a brown and white hawk swooped down suddenly, seemingly attempting to seize the prey.

However, the serpent’s grasp on Peggy’s arm remained unyielding. In a dramatic battle of strength and survival, the hawk relentlessly tried to snatch the snake away from Peggy’s arm.

The battle played out amid the backdrop of Peggy’s tractor continuing to move, creating a scene she later described as “utter chaos.” The hawk’s tenacity persisted as it repeatedly dived at the snake, causing Peggy’s arm to jerk in the air with each attempt.

Peggy had witnessed this exact same scenario in nature multiple times: a hawk targeting its prey, attacking, and dropping it on a barbed-wire fence before claiming it. Never did she envision herself in the role of the fence.

After several gripping moments, the hawk finally succeeded in freeing Peggy from the snake’s grip and carried the reptile away. The traumatic ordeal left Peggy with significant injuries including claw marks, lacerations, cuts, and punctures.

“If you’ve ever cut yourself, think about 10 times that pain,” Peggy said. “It’s a pain you can’t describe. … It was beyond anything I had ever experienced.”

Bruises had already formed – and turned black, presumably from the snake’s squeeze.

Peggy, still processing what she had just experienced, kept screaming and yelling.

This time, Wendell heard her, responding to Peggy’s distress, rushed her to the hospital where doctors promptly tended to her wounds.

Although no venom testing was conducted, traces of a liquid resembling snake venom were found on her glasses. Peggy was prescribed antibiotics and instructed to continue treatment at home.

Wendell shared the extraordinary account on social media on 25 July, expressing gratitude for the support and prayers they received.

Throughout the night, the couple remained vigilant, carefully observing for any signs of swelling or discoloration that might indicate a snake bite. Peggy was well-acquainted with these ominous indicators, having experienced them firsthand from a venomous snake bite several years earlier.

Fortunately, there were no traces of these alarming symptoms to be found.