Snake-handling preacher killed by snake, just like his dad
Mark Wolford (Photo for The Washington Post by Lauren Pond)
If you lie down with dogs, you get fleas. Lie down with timber rattlers, and you’ve got a good chance of not getting up again.
That’s what happened to West Virginia pastor Mark Wolford, reports The Washington Post.
Wolford died while hosting an outdoor service Sunday at Panther Wildlife Management Area in West Virginia. During the ceremony, the lively preacher sat a rattler on the ground and sat next to it. The snake did what snakes do — it bit him on the thigh.
Instead of going to a hospital, he went home and tried to recover. His kidneys shut down within three hours. Someone called paramedics when it was too late.
Wolford, who combed the woods for vipers, should have known better. In 1983, when he was 15, he saw his dad die while “taking up serpents.”
But faith, which has never actually moved a mountain, has a way of moving people away from reality.
“Praise the Lord and pass the rattlesnakes, brother,” wrote Wolford on his Facebook page as a way of advertising the Sunday service.
His funeral will be held Saturday, exactly one week after his 44th birthday.
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154 comments Add your comment
Mr.SouthMetroAtl
May 31st, 2012
3:29 pm
Stupid is as stupid does……first the father and now the son.
I can imagine his papa will be shaking his head in disgust outside the Pearly Gates when he see this one arrive. He may ask, “Boy, didn’t you learn nothing from what happened to me.!”
creative
May 31st, 2012
3:33 pm
Jon, Go two stories up and read the article about Gucci Mane. Next go back to your post and replace white with black. It works just as well. Thanks for the laugh bro.
Chris
May 31st, 2012
3:45 pm
“But faith, which has never actually moved a mountain, has a way of moving people away from reality.”
No questions, this guy got what he had coming, but how about keeping your opinions to yourself on the issue of faith. The vast majority of people believe in something greater than themselves, and it in no way moves them from reality.
Elephant Man
May 31st, 2012
3:49 pm
Saw this on “1000 ways to die” on Spike tv. We’ll name this particlar way to die as “phil snakson”.
Turtle Man
May 31st, 2012
3:51 pm
LIVE ACTION!!! Aye, Aye, Aye!!!
chris
May 31st, 2012
3:52 pm
BWAAAAAAHAHHAHAHHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry…
So not funny.
Aw heck, YES IT IS!!!!!
ROTF!!!!
Antonio
May 31st, 2012
4:23 pm
I sho wish i could go to this funeral because I would walk around the casket and SLAP THIS DUMB DONKEY IN HIS FACE!!!!! JUST PLAIN OUT RIGHT STUPID!!!!
Susan
May 31st, 2012
4:29 pm
WOW!
Raheem
May 31st, 2012
4:49 pm
“He and other adherents cited Mark 16:17-18 as the reason for their practice: “And these signs will follow those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents;…”
I’m just thinking out loud here, but since the good book doesn’t specifically prescribe poisonous serpents why couldn’t you use, for example, a garter snake? I’m guessin the preachers like to use the venomous ones for dramatic effect to excite their devotees.
dirty south bird
May 31st, 2012
4:50 pm
THOU SHALT NOT TEMPT THE LORD OUR G-D