KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A spider bite is nothing more than a nightmare for most people, but a bite that went untreated turned it into Zachary Harakas’s real life nightmare.
“In the outside world, no one thinks about being bitten by a spider,” Hallakas said.
Harakas’ world changed after being bitten by what he thought was a harmless spider.
Olivia Ackley/KSHB
What began as an ordinary day while he was working in his backyard led to a week in hospital and multiple surgeries to remove dead tissue from his leg.
“Zachary came into the hospital extremely ill,” said Dr. Andrew Benedict, director of surgery programs at St. Luke’s Hospital.
Benedict said a flesh-eating bacteria called necrotizing fasciitis entered through the open wound from the spider bite.
“I’ve heard about this before … here it is,” Hallakas said.
“When you get a diagnosis like that, time is of the essence,” the doctor explained, which is rare.
Between 2010 and 2022, Cleveland Clinic It was reported that there were only 700 to 1,200 cases per year.
The symptoms can be confused with a manta ray bite, but Benedict explained the difference.
“At first we thought it might have been a brown recluse spider bite, which can cause a localized reaction and actually kill the skin,” Benedict said. “In Zachary’s case, the skin didn’t die; just the tissue underneath the skin died.”
Olivia Ackley/KSHB
Harakas has been in and out of hospital for several weeks as doctors perform reconstructive surgery on his leg after 1,000 square centimetres of tissue was removed.
Besides worrying about injuries, he’s also worried about his cleaning business.
“It’s not that I don’t appreciate this time off, but I run a small business and being here means I have no income because I can’t go out and make money,” Harakas said.
Benedict is expected to make a full recovery.
“There should be no impairment in motor function,” he said. “For example, you should be able to walk and live a normal life.”
By sharing her story, Hallakas hopes to help others understand the importance of getting checked out if they suspect something is wrong after a spider bite.
He’s grateful to his doctors and the community, but he also wants the community’s help to cover medical expenses and time off work.
Harakas’ family has set up a GoFundMe to offer support. Click here to donate.
—
