Georgia boy stung 150 times
A young Georgia boy was recently stung more than 150 times by yellowjackets while he was riding his electric toy vehicle. He is now hospitalized in Savannah for kidney and heart issues.
ATLANTA – A Georgia family is asking for prayers and financial support after their 2-year-old son, Beckham Reed, was critically injured in a rare and devastating accident involving a swarm of yellowjackets.
What happened to Beckham Reed
What we know:
Beckham was riding his electric toy side-by-side vehicle around his family’s property with his cousins when he disturbed a hidden yellowjacket nest and was immediately swarmed from head to toe. His parents rushed him to a nearby emergency room, where doctors treated him for more than 150 stings and sent him home with morphine and Benadryl, saying his breathing appeared stable.
Less than 24 hours later, Beckham’s condition rapidly deteriorated, according to his family. His skin turned yellow, and his parents rushed him to Southeast Georgia Health System in Brunswick. There, doctors recognized Beckham was in multi-organ failure—including his heart, liver, and kidneys.
The toddler was immediately transferred to the Pediatric ICU at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, where a specialized team began dialysis, ventilator support, and life-saving IV treatments to help his body remove the massive amount of venom it had absorbed.
There is no antivenom for yellowjacket stings, and doctors can only provide supportive care while the toxins work their way out of the young boy’s system.
More info about yellowjacket stings
How Beckham is doing
What they’re saying:
His condition remains serious, according to the GoFundMe campaign. Over the past several days, Beckham has experienced complications including rising kidney numbers and fluid buildup around his lungs. Doctors are restarting dialysis and administering blood transfusions as they monitor his kidney function closely. Despite the setbacks, his family remains hopeful and grateful for the small improvements.
The family has praised the staff at Memorial Savannah for their exceptional care, highlighting nurses and physicians who have gone above and beyond—including nurse Erica, who came in on her day off to care for Beckham.
How you can help
What you can do:
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help offset the family’s medical and living expenses while they remain in Savannah. As of Wednesday morning, donations have exceeded $75,000.
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