A nine-year-old boy has died after being stung by a swarm of over 1,500 bees while trying to rescue his family’s puppy from them.
Joao Pedro had been playing near a wooded area when his pet pit bull got attacked by the swarm of bees in Catalao in south-west Goias, Brazil, on 13th November.
According to his mother, Rebeca Amorim, her son, who dreamed of becoming a vet and loved animals, had entered the thick vegetation to rescue the puppy and became the target of the swarm.
Rebeca said: “The dog managed to get out of the woods, but he didn’t make it.”
During the attack, the boy fell into a hole and his mother later found him weakened on the ground and surrounded by the insects. With some reports saying he was attacked by a swarm of over 1,500 bees.
She said he warned her not to approach but she went down into the area and managed to pull him out.
A neighbour then helped her move him to safety as they waited for the ambulance to arrive.
Despite being stung from head to toe and swollen. The boy was lucid and worried about his mother and the dog.
Rebeca recalled: “He said, ‘Mum, don’t come because there are a lot of bees’. Then he said that Jesus was with him and that there was no need to worry.”
The boy was taken first to Santa Casa de Catalao and later transferred to the intensive care unit at Uberlandia Medical Centre in Minas Gerais.
His mother said around eight medics worked to remove the stingers from his body.
After days in hospital, he suffered acute kidney failure and multiple organ failure and died after 11 days in intensive care.
His death was confirmed by his mother on 24th November.
The puppy was also hit by the bees but received veterinary care and was discharged the same day.
Friends and relatives shared images of him online. Showing him in nature and described him as “adventurous”.
The family said he had a strong bond with animals since he began walking and preferred being around them rather than playing with toys.
His mother said: “He wanted to be a veterinarian, he wanted to help animals.”
She added: “We will forever cherish the image of your smile, Joao Pedro.”
The boy’s funeral was held in Catalao on Tuesday, 25th November.
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below. Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: newsX
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