{"id":5338,"date":"2026-07-24T18:36:16","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T18:36:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=5338"},"modified":"2026-07-24T18:36:16","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T18:36:16","slug":"copperhead-bite-leaves-beloved-nc-puppeteer-unable-to-walk-felt-a-sharp-pain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=5338","title":{"rendered":"Copperhead bite leaves beloved NC puppeteer unable to walk. \u2018Felt a sharp pain\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.<\/p>\n

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A venomous snake bit a beloved Triangle puppeteer, leaving him unable to walk.<\/p>\n

Tarish Pipkins, whose stage name is Jeghetto, had the fateful encounter with a copperhead before he was set to debut the first session of his Neurodivergent Puppet Camp<\/a> for children.<\/p>\n

Read more Durham restaurants we miss: A look back at these old favorites that have closed<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI had to cancel that,\u201d Pipkins told The News & Observer via email Wednesday, July 22. \u201cThere were also a few performances that I had to cancel and reschedule<\/a>. So this injury is taking a toll on my family financially.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pipkins said he has been having a hard time putting weight on his left foot<\/a> after an evening of yard work took a turn in early July. He had just mowed his lawn when he switched from boots to sandals to give his feet some air.<\/p>\n

\u201cI walked through my backyard close to the house and stepped on a copperhead<\/a>,\u201d Pipkins wrote. \u201cI felt it under my foot and heard a croak sound. I assumed it was a toad until I felt a sharp pain strike my middle toe.\u201d<\/p>\n

It happened in Efland, a roughly 20-mile drive northwest from downtown Durham. Pipkins\u2019 family scrambled to help before he jumped in the car to go to an emergency room in Hillsborough.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ride was intense,\u201d Pipkins wrote. \u201cThe pain was beyond tears so I started meditating and doing breathing exercises to try and stay calm.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pipkins had a swollen foot and broke out in hives from the antivenom, but still he managed to find humor. While at the hospital, he scrolled through Instagram and stumbled upon another puppeteer working on a snake design. So, Pipkins let out a good laugh and shared his ordeal in the comments.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe sent me his puppet design via DM,\u201d Pipkins told The N&O. \u201cThat\u2019s the first thing I\u2019m going to build when I recover.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pipkins started making puppets<\/a> when he was 30 years old. Over the years, he has delighted crowds with creations that range from a roaring dinosaur<\/a> to a cellist playing music<\/a>. And there was the time that his dog puppet<\/a> moved in ways that perplexed a real-life canine, according to Jeghetto\u2019s Entertainment, LLC and videos posted on social media.<\/p>\n

You may recognize Pipkins from his performances<\/a> at local schools and events. But he also has worked on projects with celebrities ranging from singer Pharrell Williams to actor Alec Baldwin. And he previously served on the board of the Jim Henson Foundation, named for the<\/a> well-known Muppets creator.<\/p>\n

These days, Pipkins works at Hope Creek Academy in Durham, where he teaches students with developmental disabilities and has led a puppetry elective. Before the copperhead bite, he was looking forward to bringing neurodivergent children to Mebane for a summer camp.<\/a><\/p>\n

But as Pipkins struggled to walk, he canceled the session for the week of July 20. Now, he holds onto hope as he plans to launch the second session on Aug. 10.<\/p>\n

Read more ICE detention center reportedly set to open in Eastern NC this year<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the most challenging injury that I\u2019ve had,\u201d Pipkins wrote. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing I can do but wait for the venom to leave my body.\u201d<\/p>\n

A post shared by JEGHETTO\u2019S ENTERTAINMENT LLC (@jeghettos_puppets)<\/a><\/p>\n

From July 1 to July 3 \u2014 the time period when Pipkins was bitten \u2014 N.C. Poison Control fielded roughly 20 bite reports. Almost all of them were \u201cknown copperhead bites,\u201d Alexa Steverson, manager of communications and content development, told The N&O in a Friday, July 24 email.<\/p>\n

Copperheads are found throughout North Carolina and tend to avoid people. But the species is comfortable living near humans, and it\u2019s believed to be behind more than 90% of venomous snake bites<\/a> in the state, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission wrote on its website.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re not always trying to interact with the snake, and honestly, copperheads have excellent camouflage,\u201d Falyn Owens, wildlife extension biologist for the commission, told The N&O in a Thursday, July 23 phone interview. \u201cTheir patterning and their coloration looks a lot like dead leaves.\u201d<\/p>\n

To help prevent bites<\/a>, experts recommend wearing closed-toe shoes outside and gloves for yard work. Also, it\u2019s best to look before reaching under brush or into piles of wood, where a snake<\/a> could be lurking.<\/p>\n

Though some people accidentally step on or touch copperheads, many bites happen when people try to interact with them. So, North Carolinians are urged to keep their distance and leave the snakes alone<\/a>, The N&O previously reported.<\/p>\n

Bites from copperheads \u2014 which have brown bodies with hourglass-shaped bands \u2014 should be taken seriously. While their bites rarely lead to death, people may experience pain and swelling<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what the N.C. Poison Control website recommends people do after snake bites<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe other thing is not to use any of the old wives\u2019 tale recommendations about what to do with snake bites, which is things like trying to suck out the venom or use a tourniquet to [keep] the venom from moving around in the body,\u201d Owens said. \u201cThose methods don\u2019t work, and they can actually make the situation worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Questions about life in North Carolina? Or have a tip or story idea you\u2019d like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you.<\/p>\n

Read more 0726-Photos of the week<\/a><\/p>\n

You can submit your question by filling out this form<\/a><\/b>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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