US3 min(s) read
Published 14:31 12 May 2026 GMT
A mother who stopped to admire a "beautiful bug" on a walk with her children was left fighting for her life just moments later.
Antoinette Webb, from Maine, was in Fort Knox visiting a state part with her children, when she stopped to pick up a shiny green beetle that had caught her eye.
However, that simple act almost ended up costing Antoinette her life, as she quickly realized she'd made a big mistake.
She told WABI 5 News: "[It was] a berry green, [most] beautiful beetle I’ve ever seen. And I just picked him up and I said, ‘Woah you’re so pretty.’
"And within seconds, I felt burning through my body."
The 44-year-old, who was visiting Fort Knox state park with her nine-year-old twins, Ella and Jonah, quickly sprang into action after realizing she was in grave trouble.
After potentially fatal allergy symptoms quickly set in, Antoinette quickly ran up a grassy hill with her children, toward the park's gift shop where she collapsed in front of Dean Martin, Friends of Fort Knox’s Executive Director.
Antoinette explained: "It happened at the bottom of the hill. I made it to the top right here and that was it. That’s all I remember."
Dean, a former Army medic of almost 20 years, quickly administered life-saving aid to Antoinette.
He explained: "She’s lying there and I’m holding her hand and I’m talking to 9-1-1 and I’m holding her. She passes out because of a constricted airway, she’s got a lack of air. She’s got blue lips."
Dean's wide, Sherry, helped to comfort Antoinette's distraught children while their mother broke out in hives and began wheezing, shaking, and grabbing her throat.
According to Dean, she went into respiratory distress and passed out three times, as they administered the only antihistamine they had available to buy her vital time until emergency services arrived.
He explained: "We gave her Benadryl. That’s the best we had. And then we waited for the ambulance crews."
The Benadryl appeared to buy some life-saving time until Antoinette received four epinephrine shots at the hospital.
According to the Daily Mail, the bug that Antoinette had picked up was a six-spotted tiger beetle, which triggered a “one in a million” severe allergic reaction.
Dean added to the outlet: "The iridescent green is absolutely stunning. It’s got six legs. It’s non-venomous, but it’s got these pinchers."
A day after the terrifying incident, Antoinette and her children revisited the park, thanking Dean for his quick actions, adding that she told him: "I was just bawling. Because of you, they have their mom today.
"I just started crying, like right now. When I saw him, I immediately — I knew I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him.
"They acted fast, they knew exactly what to do. I’m just so grateful, I’m just so grateful. If you guys come to Fort Knox, just know that you will be taken care of and your children will be taken care of.”
Dean also became emotional at their visit, admitting: "It’s going to be like that every time.
"I’m sure she’s going to come back. I didn’t realize she’s a regular. I’m sure I won’t forget her after this, though.
"If the roles were reversed, I’m sure Antoinette would’ve done the same for me."
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