WARNING: An image in this story showing the boy's injuries may be too graphic for some to see. Viewer discretion is advised.
PHOENIX - Ambushed by bees, an Arizona boy is healing at Phoenix Children’s Hospital after one of the most terrifying moments of his life.
Andrew Kunz's family says the attack also sent at least three emergency responders to the hospital. Stung nearly 400 times and allergic to bees, they say it’s a miracle he’s alive.
“It felt like 400 bullets were shooting me," Andrew said, after being stung.
The 11-year-old was playing with his BB gun on Monday near his Safford home, when he unknowingly shot at a hive of Africanized bees.
“I tried to run," Andrew said. But he couldn't really remember what happened after that.
Covered in bees, emergency responders also took dozens of hits to save his life, says Petrea Kunz, Andrew's grandma.
“He realized he couldn’t get him up the hill so he just grabbed his belt loop and his arm and said Andrew we've got to get out of here,” Kunz said.
Andrew knows heroes are the reason he's alive.
“I want to thank the whole fire department," Andrew said. "And the police.”
Now swollen from head to toe and hooked up to medication at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Andrew still has his sense of humor.
"This isn’t my real face," he said about his healing body. "It’s just numb.”
If all goes well, Andrew could be back to school as early as Monday. And as for that bee hive, his grandma says it’s been destroyed.
If you do get caught by Africanized bees, experts say to run in a straight line, and going against the wind helps slow them down. Experts add most healthy people can outrun an angry swarm.