Sometimes America needs to take a moment and say thanks to the millions of blue collar workers who make the word turn on a daily basis. One of those workers is finally receiving his moment in the limelight after a FedEx driver killed a rattlesnake that was lying in wait on a customer’s front stoop. The dangerous snake could have easily been avoided and left for someone else to deal with, but this particular man was ready to take on the problem himself.
In a Facebook post, Christie Jones shared a clip from her Ring doorbell camera showing the heroic feat take place along with a snippet of a message from the driver who wanted to apologize for any blood left at the scene. “I nominate Matt Govier for Fed Ex employee of the year,” Jones said as she shared praise for the the driver.
Her son apparently narrowly missed an encounter with the deadly rattler, and may have found himself in a life or death situation at some point had the problem not been solved by Govier. Jones continued, “Kyler had walked out this front door about 20 minutes prior to the arrival of said snake. Anyone who really knows me knows how incredibly fearful I am of any kind of snake.”
After sending a picture of the snake, Govier sent a hilarious message, saying, “I hope you didn’t have a pet rattlesnake at your front door because I killed him. Sorry about the blood.” No doubt he was speaking in jest, and was attempting to downplay the potentially life-saving act of heroism that he displayed.
The snake in question has been identified to be a Prairie Rattlesnake, which the United States National Park Service describes in a post detailing the animal. In a section about avoiding contact with the venomous snake, the NPS says, “To avoid rattlesnake bites, keep a keen eye and ear out while hiking.”
“Prairie rattlesnakes often seek out spots where they are well-hidden and can be found under thick prairie grasses or in shaded badlands formations. One of the best ways to prevent a bite is to give these animals plenty of space and not try to handle them. Bites are more likely to happen if you provoke or attempt to catch a rattlesnake.”
As can be seen in the post on Facebook, the snake was tucked away in a shady corner, no doubt looking for refuge in its urban environment. The NPS says, “The Prairie Rattlesnake has the largest range of any rattlesnake species in the country. Their range extends through the Great Plains, stretching from Canada to Mexico. Although these snakes enjoy open grasslands and prairies, they may also seek out forested environments.”
Let’s hear a round of applause for the Matt Govier for going above and beyond the call of his job to restore safety at the Jones’ family residence.
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