Connecticut man who attempted to assist rare rattlesnake ends up in coma after being bitten

In Hartford, Connecticut, Joseph Ricciardella found a snake on the road and stopped his car to assist it, but his kind gesture turned dangerous. The timber rattlesnake, an uncommon species in the Northeast, bit his hand when he tried to pick it up after covering it with a shirt. Brittany Hilmeyer, his former girlfriend, shared that the incident occurred as he was driving from a park in upstate New York to his home in Torrington, about 25 miles away. Due to being unable to speak in detail as yet, it’s uncertain exactly where the snake bite happened.

Ricciardella, a 45-year-old father of four who operates a landscaping business and lacks medical insurance, ended up in a Connecticut hospital in a medically induced coma after experiencing cardiac arrest. He was resuscitated and then airlifted from a Torrington hospital to one in Hartford. He emerged from the coma on Tuesday but remained intubated and sedated due to venom-induced swelling, according to Hilmeyer.

His family described Ricciardella as someone who always helped animals in need, even at potential personal risk. The timber rattlesnake, one of the state’s rare venomous snakes, is considered endangered and protected under Connecticut law. Rattlesnake bites are infrequent in the state, as per the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Raised in Waterbury, Connecticut, along with his brother Robert, Joseph Ricciardella’s upbringing included spending weekends in upstate New York, engaging in activities like catching snakes and lizards, although encountering a rattlesnake was a first. The family has initiated a GoFundMe campaign, which has garnered over $5,000 to assist with his medical expenses.