He was stung by 1,000 bees; here's his tale (91 year-old man survives African bees)

Corpus Christi Caller-Times ^ | April 13, 2007 | Mike Baird

[Paleo Conservative]

A bee flew from 91-year-old Manuel E. Trevino's ear canal as three nurses and his daughter worked with tweezers for two hours in an emergency room pulling stingers.

"His arms and head were as black as an unshaven beard with those things," said Florence Trevino, his wife of 57 years. He was stung more than 1,000 times by swarming Africanized bees on March 31 as he cut brush at his San Diego ranch.

Trevino's face puffed out "three times its size," she said, and his eyes swelled shut for five days. "It was grotesque. It's a miracle he's still with us today."

A team of specialists at Christus Spohn Hospital Shoreline worked in tandem for 12 days. A cardiologist monitored Trevino's heart, which required a triple bypass operation 15 years ago; an ophthalmologist treated his eyes; and a nephrologist ordered and supervised dialysis sessions after the bee venom shut down his kidneys.

Medical staffers still were finding stingers this week as swelling subsided. Trevino was released Wednesday but some swelling and bruising remains and he will have to continue seeing kidney and heart specialists.

After serving as an Army Air Forces medic during World War II in Africa and China, Trevino returned to his San Diego hometown and operated the only dry cleaners in the area for many years. He met Florence about five years later after she took a job teaching home economics in San Diego. They had four children. One son died in 1989 at 27 from lymphoma. The couple's other two daughters and son have given them nine grandchildren, and their 12th great-grandchild was born April 6.

The day he was attacked, Trevino backed his International 1066 tractor close to a windmill unaware of the underground hive of bees, he said.

"They came flying," he said. "I had on gloves, but was wearing short sleeves, they were all on my face and covered my arms."

He turned off the tractor and fell down swatting his face. The bees followed him, stinging as he flinched and dodged while walking half a mile to his daughter's house. His son-in-law ripped off his shirt to release lethargic bees trapped underneath that had stung him. Trevino refused to let his family take him to the hospital until he took a shower.

"He was rolling in dirt, and was filthy," said Gracie Gonzales, 55, his oldest daughter. "But my husband offered to take him immediately and he wouldn't have it. He's like a cat with nine lives, either lucky or God's just not ready for him yet."

The couple paid an exterminator to locate and treat the hive.

"But they're still buzzing around," Florence Trevino said. "Our neighbors have small children so they will exterminate again."

Her husband said he plans to wear long sleeves in the future and his son-in-law is trying to help him find a windshield and cab enclosure for his tractor.

"We should be thankful to God for every day that passes and we're healthy and happy," Trevino said.

[Paleo Conservative]

The full title wouldn't fit in 100 Characters. Here it is below.

He was stung by 1,000 bees; here's his tale

2 weeks after attack, man, 91, still finding stingers in his body

Photos by Todd Yates/Caller-Times

anuel Treviño, his face still scarred Wednesday at
Spohn Shoreline, describes the March 31 Africanized
bee attack in which he was stung more than 1,000 times.

Treviño, seen here showing some of his scars, was
stung while cutting brush at his San Diego ranch late
last month. He said he didn’t realize there
was an underground hive in the area.

lorence and Manuel Treviño hug Wednesday at Spohn
Shoreline before his release. The San Diego native’s
face puffed out ‘three times its size’ after the attack,
said Florence, his wife of 57 years.

Despite wearing gloves, Treviño suffered multiple
stings on his hands. A nephrologist ordered dialysis
after the bee venom shut down his kidneys.

[Young Werther]

Calling Jesse Jackson...Calling Al Sharpton...

We White Folks demand an apology!

[End Times Sentinel]

Those Africanized bees are nasty.

 

When I was in CBP Academy, they discussed what to do if you ever found a swarm while boarding a ship (that's the most likely place we'd encounter them).  I kept asking how do you determine the difference between an Africanized be and a regular domestic one.

 

Finally, they told me "Look, if you ever see bees on a ship, just run like hell, OK?"

Owl_Eagle

If what I just wrote made you sad or angry,
it was probably just a joke.

[ikka]

Finally, they told me "Look, if you ever see bees on a ship, just run like hell, OK?"

Could be a sequel to the film Snakes on A Plane... Bees on A Ship ...

[steveo]

I’m impressed this 91-yr old was out cutting brush!

[decimon]

Trevino is one tough bird. 1,000 stings might kill someone of any age.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

African Bees

This is the Grievance Committee, paging Al Sharpton....

[JRios1968]

"We have mother)()(&)*^&ng bees on this mother _(*)&(*&_ng ship!"

[OldCorps]

What a tough guy. God bless him.

[RAY]

What a tough fellow! Driving a tractor cutting brush and stung over 1000 times. I hope he can continue with his active life!!

[freedomlover]

My grandfather used to tell me that there were four main things that would kill you on a tractor (which in our case pretty much assumed you were pulling a bushhog).

1. Drinking
2. Bobwire
3. Pulling something the wrong way
4. Jumping off in a hurry, such as if you hit a beehive. He said NO MATTER WHAT stick with the machine and try to let it get you away from the critters.

FWIW two of his 5 brothers were killed by tractors getting caught in some kind of fencing.

And no I haven’t forgotten side rolls. Pops always had a roll bar even before they were cool. Never really got in the way and was good for knocking off low branches for the next time around anyway.

[miele man]

“Those Africanized bees are nasty.”

Yes, they are; however, their venom is no more potent than is the venom of US domestic bees (Italian variety). What makes the Africanized bee so “nasty” is the fact that they are super aggressive in defending their Queen. When they become riled up many, many more of these bees go after the person or thing that riled them.

Seven years ago, while moving a hive, I was stung on my head approximately 41 times. The pain was excruciating so I cannot imagine the pain Mr. Trevino experienced. Interestingly, bee venom is very good for alleviating arthritis pain. I’d bet Mr. Trevino no longer has arthritis of the skull. (:>)

[Western Phil]

“... as three nurses and his daughter worked with tweezers for two hours in an emergency room pulling stingers.”

Do not use tweezers to remove bee stingers. Immediately scratch them off with your fingernail. The poison sack (with muscles attached) will continue to inject more poison. If you grab and the poison sack, you will help it inject more poison into your body - an undesirable effect. If you scratch it off, you may leave the barbed point, but you will not get any additional poison.

[X-FID]

Good point.

How come they are called "Africanized" bees? They came from Africa originally as the story goes.

They should be called "Americanized " bees imo.

Maybe even "African Americanized" bees(cringing).

[pepsionice]

Lets tell the story in the proper fashion. This old guy...91...still out and driving a tractor accidentally stirred up a huge number of bees. Never once did he lose control of the situation. He cut off the engine. He got off the tractor. He swatted calmly...rolled on the ground when required. He didn’t even want to make the run to the doctor until the son-in-law recommended it. But then you see a mighty stoic man...he wanted to shower and put on fresh clothing before going off to the doctor.

There at the hospital...they realized the implication of his stuation and thought the worst...and this stoic man just calmly sat there and survived on. Then when they ask him if he really learned anything from this entire episode...he said he would consider wearing long-sleeve shirts in the future. Its as stoic as you can get.

My dad is 79 and just as stoic as this old character. These guys are from a totally different generation. Whatever they learned in the 1920s and 1930s...was a lifetime lesson. You have to admire this rare thing of being stoic today. We don’t have many politicans or leaders of such potential. It is a sad society we live in...where the last of this breed are going to be gone in the next decade or so.

[JRios1968]

Nappy-headed bees?

(Ducking...)

[SwinneySwitch]

Ping!

If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.

[archy]

Trevino is one tough bird. 1,000 stings might kill someone of any age.

Well, the bible tells us that Jesus survived a beesting attack....

[stephenjohnbanker]

LMAO!

[JRios1968]

the bible tells us that Jesus survived a beesting attack....

Care to share the verse where this happens?