IT’S the birthday Jessica Daniel will never forget.
Bringing in 24 years, Ms Daniel woke to watch the sunrise over Digger’s Beach in Coffs Harbour with her partner, Joshua, saying it was “the only thing” she wanted to do for her birthday.
As she sat with Josh — her boyfriend of seven years — the sun peaked over the waves and the pair decided to go for a walk along the beach together.
“About half way along the beach Josh got down on one knee and asked me to his wife,” Ms Daniel, a receptionist, told news.com.au.
“We have been together for over 7 years. I was so excited all I could do was cry and say yes over and over.”
But shortly following the moment, Ms Daniel and her new fiance decided they wanted to check out the Big Banana fun park on the NSW north coast.
“We had been there for a few hours and had one ride to go,” Ms Daniel said.
“But plans changed quite fast.”
Walking up to the final ride along the concrete path, Ms Daniel was bitten twice by a yellow-faced whip snake on her big toe.
“It hurt so much … like someone chopped my toe off,” she said.
The Yellow Faced Whip Snake is common throughout most of Australia, and is often confused with the Eastern Brown Snake.
While venomous, they are not considered dangerous — although a bite can cause severe pain and significant local swelling.
Ms Daniel said staff at the Big Banana fun park wrapped her leg, while her new fiance went on a mission to find out what exactly had attacked his bride-to-be.
“He [Josh] then drove me to the hospital where we spent the next 8 or so hours waiting,” she said.
“After several blood tests, I was given the all clear and allowed to leave.”
“It definitely isn’t a birthday I’m going to forget.”