A grandma feared she was going to die when she was attacked by a hawk and snake while mowing the lawn. Peggy Jones was mowing the back lawn of one of the rental properties in Silsbee, Texas, US, that she and husband Wendell Jones own when a 4ft snake fell from the sky, landed on her arm and attacked her.
Seconds later, as the snake simultaneously squeezed her right arm and repeatedly struck at her face, a hungry hawk swooped down and clawed her in a bid to scoop up his dinner. The 15-second attack on the screaming 64-year-old just over a fortnight ago only finished when the predator finally got a grip on its scaly meal and flew off.
The rental property owner, who cried out 'Jesus, help me' during the horror movie-like strike at 8pm, frantically drove her tractor mower towards Wendell, 66, who rushed her to hospital. There, Peggy feared the suspected venomous snake had damaged her sight as she couldn't see properly out of her right eye.
But on closer inspection the mum-of-two's glasses were coated with a liquid that appeared to be venom the snake frantically spat at her in its failed bid for freedom. Shocking photos show Peggy's bloodied arm, from wrist to elbow, shredded by the hawk who tore at her flesh.
Stunned doctors cleaned and dressed the wound, administered antibiotics, including an antibiotic shot, before discharging her. Now as she recovers at home, Peggy admits the emotional scars will take longer to heal.
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Peggy, from Silsbee, Texas, US, said: "I was just out in the field mowing and all of a sudden out of nowhere out of the air a snake fell onto my arm. I immediately started flinging my arm trying to fling the snake off and he wrapped around my arm.
"As I was trying to get rid of him he was striking at my face - he just kept striking and striking. I could feel him hit my glasses, he wouldn't come off. I was screaming and yelling and I started crying out 'please Jesus help me'.
Peggy Jones was mowing the lawn when the incident happened (CBS/Peggy Jones)"All of a sudden a hawk appeared, swooped down and grabbed the snake but the hawk couldn't hold onto the snake. At one point I thought 'this is it I'm going to die. I can't get rid of this snake, he's going to bite my face and I'm going to die right here on the tractor'.
"As tight as that snake was holding and determined as he was not to get off my arm, that hawk was just as determined to get that snake off my arm. I could feel the hawk ripping my skin. It felt like I was living something out of a horror film.
"On the fourth attempt he did get the snake and he flew off with it. I looked down and my arm had so many claw marks, cuts and punctures - there was blood all over my arm and my clothes." Once the frenzied 15-second attack was over, Peggy rushed towards her husband who took her to Altus Emergency Room, in Lumberton, Texas.
In addition to her shredded arm, Peggy feared her eyesight had been damaged during the attack. Peggy said: "When I told them what had happened the doctors were in disbelief. I told them 'I can't see out of my right eye, I think something's wrong'.
Warning: Graphic picture. (12NewsNow)"They said 'you've got something all over your glasses'. They cleaned them, I assume it was venom. Our only conclusion is that the hawk caught it, dropped it and it landed on me because snakes don't fly. My husband said 'if they do, we're moving'."
Now healing, Peggy said she's thankful to be alive and admits the experience has put her off mowing the lawn. Peggy said: "I've still got open puncture wounds and a lot of severe bruising. I haven't slept - it's the nightmares - and I've re-lived it a million times.
"I'm just thankful I'm alive. I've always loved my family before all this happened but I've got a different kind of love for life and my family right now. I love them so much more than I ever thought I could love before that. It's put me off going back into the garden."
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