ICU Nurses Donate $23K to Help Fly Canadian Rattlesnake Bite Victim Home
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A Saskatchewan man was bitten by a rattlesnake in Texas, triggering anaphylactic shock and cardiac arrest; he coded for over 22 minutes and remains in a coma.
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ICU nurses in Odessa raised over $23,000 to help cover the $59,000 cost of flying him back to Canada with an onboard critical care team.
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A GoFundMe campaign and community support are helping the family manage ongoing medical expenses.
Image: GoFundMe / Stephanie Fehr/Facebook
A Swift Current man who suffered cardiac arrest after a rattlesnake bite in Texas is now back in Canada—thanks in large part to the generosity of the ICU nurses who cared for him.
Daniel Fehr, who was bitten while golfing in Odessa, Texas, in late July, required an onboard ICU team for the $59,000 medical flight back home. ICU nurses at Medical Center Hospital in Odessa donated more than $23,000 toward the cost.
“A beautiful, beautiful staff on the ICU came together,” said Daniel’s wife, Stephanie Fehr. “They came up big, and came up with what we couldn’t so that we could bring him home.”
From Rattlesnake Bite to Cardiac Arrest
Daniel had been golfing in Odessa when a rattlesnake bit him, triggering a severe allergic reaction. He went into anaphylactic shock and then cardiac arrest, coding for over 22 minutes before he was revived. He has been in a coma ever since.
Stephanie and their children rushed to Texas and remained at his bedside in the ICU for several weeks. With no medical insurance, the family has been left to cover all medical expenses out-of-pocket, including the growing costs of his hospital stay in the U.S.
Nurses Step In With More Than Clinical Care
Without the help of the Odessa ICU staff, Daniel’s transfer to Canada would not have been possible.
Stephanie said the medical flight required an ICU-equipped team and aircraft, something far out of the family's financial reach.
“I was hopeless,” Stephanie said. “I (didn’t) know where I’m gonna get this money from. I can’t believe how many people have stepped up to help us.”
Home at Last — But Still in Critical Condition
Danny landed in Regina on Friday, August 22, but there was a brief mix-up during his transfer—he was taken to the wrong hospital before being redirected to Regina General, where he’s now stable and receiving care.
He remains in a coma and will stay in Regina until arrangements can be made to move him closer to Swift Current. Although the family is still facing major hurdles, Stephanie said having Daniel back in the province brings relief.
She shared that she’s prepared to drive two hours each way every day if that’s what it takes to be with him. After spending weeks in Texas with their children, she said the emotional toll was growing and the kids just wanted to come home. Being back in Saskatchewan, even with Daniel still unconscious, feels like a step forward.
“If I have to drive two hours every day to be with him, that’s way better than 24 hours away,” Stephanie said.
Medical Costs Still Mounting
A GoFundMe page set up to support the Fehr family has now raised over $50,000 CAD. While Stephanie hasn’t yet received a full bill for Daniel’s ICU stay, she has already received an ambulance bill for nearly $5,000. She said they're still awaiting further charges related to his time in the hospital.
Despite the financial and emotional strain, Stephanie said her family is focused on one goal: seeing Daniel wake up.
“Our first hurdle is over, and that was a big one,” she said. “We just wanted to all come home.”
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