Man, 70, mowing lawn dies after getting attacked by hundreds of bees

BRECKENRIDGE, Texas (KTXS) - A 70-year-old man from Texas died after an aggressive swarm of bees reportedly stung him, but firefighters were able to save his wife from the swarm.

Thomas Hicks, 70, was mowing his lawn Monday afternoon in Breckenridge, Texas, when hundreds of bees swarmed around him and attacked. He died after going into cardiac arrest as a result of being severely stung.

“He got attacked outside, ran in the house to let his wife know, ‘Hey, this is what’s going on.’ The bees followed him in,” said Fire Chief Calvin Chaney.

Firefighters fought through a swarm of bees to help Hicks’ wife get out of the house. She was taken to the hospital for treatment of bee stings and returned home Tuesday morning.

Chaney says it’s likely the noise from Hicks’ lawnmower aggravated the bees.

Beekeeper Joey Venekamp responded to the scene and found several beehives, containing about 60,000 honey bees, in a nearby tree. They had been there for about three years.

Venekamp subdued the bees with soap and water then removed the hives.

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