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A North Carolina politician is spreading awareness after his wife was bitten by a copperhead snake in a frightening incident this week.
Robert Burns, mayor of Monroe, a suburb southeast of Charlotte, shared the harrowing incident in an X post on April 30.
“So … word has gotten out that my sweet wife was bitten by a large copperhead last night,” he began. “When it happened, we rushed her to the ER.”
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The Republican mayor said that, though his wife Lauren’s vitals have stabilized, they’re “not out of the woods yet.”
“She is in a lot of pain, probably more than I’ve ever seen her in,” Burns wrote.
Robert Burns described the frightening moment his wife was bitten near a wooded area on their property, leading to hours of medical monitoring. (Actual snake not shown.) (iStock; @RobertBurns82 via X)
“We’re a busy family with a lot going on right now, but we truly cherish your prayers and are grateful for all the support, texts, calls, emails and well wishes,” he added.
The copperhead snake is the most common and prevalent venomous snake in the state, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission’s website.
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“In many areas, including most of the larger urban areas of the state, it is the only venomous snake,” the site says. “Because they are so widespread and tolerate living near people, copperheads account for probably over 90% of venomous snakebites in North Carolina.”
“She is in a lot of pain, probably more than I’ve ever seen her in.”
Speaking to Fox News Digital on Friday, the mayor said his wife is currently “resting in bed as best as she can.”
“I’ve not seen her in this consistent amount of pain before,” he said. “We’ve had six children, and I’ve also seen her with kidney stones. I’ve seen it all, and she is in excruciating pain right now.”
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Burns, who is known as “NC’s mayor,” said the incident happened while he was outside grilling food as Lauren spoke on the phone with her father.
Lauren was walking near a rope swing in a wooded area on their property when she was suddenly bitten by the reptile.
Copperheads rely on camouflage to blend into their surroundings, making them difficult to spot before an encounter. (iStock)
“All I heard was, ‘Babe, it’s not good, this is not good,’ and I’m like, ‘Are you okay?'” he recalled. “She ran around the side of the house, and she’s like, ‘Babe, I think I got bit by a snake.”
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Burns quickly used his cell phone flashlight and found two puncture wounds on her left ankle.
“They were bleeding. They were big enough,” he said.
Copperhead snakes are the most common venomous snakes in North Carolina, accounting for the vast majority of bites across the state. (iStock)
When Burns asked what type of snake it was, his wife said it may have been a copperhead. They went back and found the likely culprit.
“This was about a 4-foot snake,” he said. “It was probably about as thick as my wrist to my forearm.”
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Burns added, “The second you see a copperhead, you know it’s a copperhead, because it’s a copper color and it has a pattern on its back, and it was big.”
The couple’s 14-year-old daughter had just been walking barefoot in the same area moments before the bite, he said. She may have even tripped over the snake without realizing it.
“These are the types of snakes that don’t run,” Burns said. “They don’t flee … they stand their ground.”
Copperheads are responsible for more than 90 percent of venomous snake bites in North Carolina, according to state officials. (iStock)
Doctors monitored Lauren for several hours, tracking her vitals and consulting poison control as as swelling spread from her foot up her leg.
While the bite caused significant pain and inflammation, her condition stabilized, and the family ultimately chose not to use anti-venom due to potential risks. Lauren was discharged to recover at home, where they are managing her pain.
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Burns encourages people to be cautious.
“Any snake bite, you want to take seriously,” he said. “Because you don’t really know, especially if you don’t get eyes on it.”
“I’m very grateful for all the support and help.”