'My hip was on fire.' Former TV news anchor says wasp stings almost killed her

Anne Craig says she was sitting out on her back patio last Tuesday when she was stung by a wasp three or four times.

Mark Sudol

Sep 6, 2023, 9:30 PM

Updated 454 days ago

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Experts say this month is the worst time of year for bees and wasps, and this last mild winter is making it worse.
Former TV news anchor Anne Craig shared her story about how she was stung by a wasp and almost died.
Craig says she was sitting out on her back patio last Tuesday when she was stung by a wasp three or four times.
"The next thing I know my hip was on fire," said Craig.
She says she's never been allergic to anything and had been stung before.
"But never been afraid of stings, so I'm like oh it's uncomfortable, nothing to worry about. I literally was not worried at all," said Craig.
That changed in a matter of hours.
"My tongue was really swelling. I was having difficulty talking, difficulty breathing and the back of my throat was itchy and agitated. It just felt tight," said Craig.
Craig was rushed to Norwalk Hospital and was going into anaphylactic shock. Doctors told her a wasp can retract their stinger when they sting and inject a full dose of venom again. That venom can stay in your system.
When she left the hospital, she didn't get her prescriptions filled right away and started feeling even worse.
Craig says she was brought to the emergency room at Norwalk Hospital not once but twice after first going to an urgent care.
"I waited too long. I just wasn't paying attention to the symptoms," said Craig.
Now Craig carries an EpiPen with her at all times and keeps Benadryl in her first aid kit.
She's also reminded her kids about the importance of calling 911 if something is wrong.