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After 3 surgeries and 40 vials of antivenom for a rattlesnake bite, Gilbert girl is back on her feet

The Town of Gilbert is considering warning signs of wildlife for residents following the incident.

GILBERT, Ariz. — Allie Brasfield is back on her feet. Literally.

"I'm feeling good!" the seven-year-old said Monday.

Allie, a second grader in Gilbert, nearly lost her leg after she was bitten by a rattlesnake in mid-September. It happened near Gilbert Regional Park when Allie was on a walk with her dad. What made matters worse for her was that doctors were not able to properly diagnose the bite for 30 hours because there were no puncture marks according to Amber Brasfield, Allie's mom.

VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Luego de 3 cirugías y 40 frascos de antiveneno por una mordedura de serpiente de cascabel, una niña de Gilbert pudo ponerse de pie de nuevo

"That's been the biggest shock for us," Brasfield said.

After three surgeries and 40 vials of anti-venom, Allie's leg, and most importantly her life, were saved.

"It's a miracle how much she's improved and how there's been no permanent deficits," Brasfield said.

The seven-year-old has been going to physical therapy to help strengthen her leg. Last week, Brasfield said her daughter was cleared to go back to activities she loves like hiking and wrestling. Allie even won second place in a tournament over the weekend.

"It's a huge blessing and a huge sigh of relief that she's doing so well," Brasfield said.

Word of what happened to Allie quickly spread across Gilbert, which raised concerns from members of Gilbert's Park and Recreation Advisory Board. 

Florence Daniels, who sits on the board, said at a meeting in October that warning signs should be placed in the area where Allie was bit. However, since it took place on county property, Parks Manager Kylie Sorensen said signs cannot be placed there. Daniels then recommended that the town put out a Public Service Announcement on social media to let visitors know about wildlife in the area.

Brasfield believes some sort of message would be beneficial.

"Even though we're in the middle of Gilbert, we're in their habitat," she said. 

While Allie continues her recovery, Brasfield said they are still waiting to learn if insurance will cover the $400,000 medical bill they received from the bite. That cost came from the dozens of anti-venom vials the second grader received.

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