A five-year-old Texas girl is preparing to start kindergarten after surviving a rattlesnake bite last summer that left her with a serious hand injury.
Sadie Crow’s father, Dillon, told NBC affiliate KXAS that the incident happened in June 2024 at the family’s ranch.
“They were throwing rocks in the pond,” Dillon recalled. “She was standing right next to me and reached down to pick up a rock. Apparently, there was a rattlesnake under a leaf, and when she reached for it, the snake bit her on top of her hand.”
On the way back to their vehicle, Sadie began to lose consciousness. Dillon rushed her to a local hospital, and she was later flown to a Lubbock facility for specialized care.
Since the attack, Sadie has been receiving treatment at Scottish Rite for Children. She’s now set to begin kindergarten on Monday, Aug. 11.
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Dr. Scott Oishi, director of the Center for Excellence in Hand at Scottish Rite, has overseen her recovery. He explained that before she arrived at the facility, Sadie underwent emergency fasciotomy surgery — a procedure that opens the area over the muscle to prevent permanent damage.
“Obviously, she was really scared,” Dr. Oishi said, describing the severe swelling in her hand and forearm. He praised Sadie’s resilience, noting that she’s “really been a champ through this.”
A few months ago, she underwent another surgery to loosen joints and tendons in her hand. “We were able to open it up to give her more function, but she’s had to do therapy three or four times a week since that surgery,” Oishi said. “It’s a lot of commitment from her and her parents.”
While there’s still a possibility she may need another procedure, her doctor says she has regained “great” use of her hand, which is now almost back to normal.
“Seeing her go from a scared little girl who could barely move her hand to a confident child ready to use it again is just incredible,” Oishi said. “She’s a tough little girl, and I think she’s going to do great in school.”
