Man Expected to Make Full Recovery After Reportedly Being Stung 20,000 Times by Bees

At the time of the harrowing incident, the 20-year-old man was helping family with limb-trimming work on a tree when he accidentally cut into a hive.

September 1, 2022

A 20-year-old Ohio man is now expected to make a “full recovery” after being stung thousands of times by bees while cutting limbs from a tree.

According to a report from regional outlet WCPO 9 News, which includes comments from the man’s mother, the incident saw the ultimately hospitalized individual being stung more than 20,000 times.

“I’m happy that he’s progressing but, man, it’s been a scary nightmare,” Shawna Carter, whose son Austin recently awakened from a medically inducted coma, told the outlet. Per Shawna, her son was helping family with some tree work on Friday when he accidentally chopped into a hive, thus imitating the attack. The family has since set up an online fundraiser to help with related medical expenses.

In addition to being stung thousands of times, Austin’s mother added, he also ingested approximately 30 bees, with medical officials reported to have still been in the process of removing bees from inside the man days later.

While there has been talk of the bees in question being so-called “killer bees,” a determination into the exact variety of bee involved in this situation has not been made.

For safety tips on best practices in response to aggressive bees, consult this link from the Carl Hayden Bee Research Center.