Tammy Raycraft,
Bruce Peninsula Press
A 15-month-old toddler survived a bite from an eastern massasauga rattlesnake on the Bruce Peninsula over Thanksgiving weekend and is recovering at home after being treated at two separate hospitals.
Wells Gladwish, from Sarnia, Ontario, who was visiting the family cottage in Cape Chin, on the Northern Bruce Peninsula, was bitten on Sunday, October 11, 2026, at approximately 12:45 p.m. according to his parents, Matt Huggett and Natasha Gladwish.
“It was definitely a horrific experience. Nothing that any parent ever wants to go through. His life truly flashed before our eyes, and it was like our worst day ever,” said mother Natasha Gladwish.
His family rushed him to the nearest hospital in Lion’s Head, Ontario, where he initially received 10 doses of antivenom.
Natasha continued, “It was so imperative for his success to get the amount of antivenom that he got into him at the time that he did. Having 10 vials on hand, [to] at least do that first treatment is so, so imperative.”
When the swelling continued, the family was told the Ornge helicopter would come to transfer Wells to another hospital. After hours of delays and cancellations, Wells was given another four emergency doses of antivenom.
“I’m holding my baby. He’s screaming his head off; we’re singing all the nursery rhymes we can think of. We’re doing everything we can to keep him calm, but like every minute is just on your mind, right? We’re just watching the clock,” Natasha said.
“There was no reason for it,” father Matt Huggett said. “They shouldn’t accept it. Ornge should not accept a transfer if they’re not able to do it.”
According to Brightshores Health System, which runs the Lion’s Head hospital, when an air ambulance transfer is delayed or unavailable, the care team continues to assess and stabilize the patient while working with Ornge, local paramedic services and the receiving hospital to determine the safest and most timely transport option.
Wells was transferred by land ambulance to London Health Sciences Centre, Victoria Hospital, where he received four more doses of antivenom, totalling 18. He is now recovering at home and almost back to his normal self.
“We’re just all monitoring him for the serum sickness. We’re hoping that everything’s okay. That seems to present itself within five to 21 days, so we’re still within that window of time,” Natasha said.
“We had a little bit of a scare this past week where we did take him back to the ER. His finger did look like it was swelling a bit, but his blood work came back okay, and we put him on some antibiotics, so we’re just keeping an eye on him.”
Lion’s Head is the only Brightshores site that stocks antivenom. The supply is restocked from the West Parry Sound Health Centre, which is Ontario’s Antivenom Depot.
If antivenom were needed at another Brightshores hospital, teams would coordinate to have the medication transferred to the site where it is needed, while working with pharmacy and the treating team to support timely and safe access, they said.
According to Brightshores, most patients in these circumstances are assessed, treated and discharged from the Lion’s Head hospital without requiring any further treatment.
The team assesses each situation individually and determines the appropriate location that can support the care required, including remaining in Lion’s Head, being transferred to Owen Sound or tertiary care, most commonly London Health Sciences Centre.
“We’re incredibly thankful that there is such a great team at Lion’s Head Hospital, and the whole Brightshores team. The fact that there’s antivenom stock is so very important for the peninsula,” said Natasha. “It’s a small hospital, but it’s so mighty in terms of how important it is for the community. Such an incredible team, such a vital resource.”
Lion’s Head treats roughly 1-3 rattlesnake bites per year. The Brightshores team said anyone who has been bitten or suspects they have been bitten by a rattlesnake should call 911 or seek immediate care at their nearest emergency department as quickly and safely as possible.
