AURORA, Colorado — The prayers of people from Charlotte and around the world played a part in the recovery of a 2-year-old girl – the niece of Dr. Greg Monroe, superintendent of Diocese of Charlotte Catholic Schools – after two bites from a rattlesnake nearly took her life.
“Thanks be to God, she is now experiencing what can only be described as a miraculous recovery,” Monroe said. “Doctors were flabbergasted.”
It was a blessed end to a terrifying seven days.
The last week of May should have been joyful. Relatives were beginning to gather in Colorado for a family wedding, and Quinn Robertson eagerly anticipated her role as a flower girl. But tragedy struck on Monday when she stepped on the venomous snake outside her family’s Airbnb.
Her mom, Colleen Robertson, who was 8 months pregnant, immediately started CPR until medical personnel arrived 20 minutes later, according to CBS News. Quinn was then swiftly airlifted to Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora, where she received almost 40 vials of anti-venom – – generally far more than the average amount – as well as a blood transfusion. A team of 30 medical providers gave her round-the-clock care as her body processed an allergic reaction to the venom.
Monroe said it was scary in the beginning with Quinn “unable to breath on her own, falling in and out of consciousness.”
But by the weekend, Quinn began sitting up and using her hands. On May 30, the day of the wedding, the bride and groom came to the hospital and re-enacted the walk down the aisle so Quinn could take part. It was one of many moments of grace, Monroe said.
And on June 1, exactly one week after the snakebite, Quinn went home to Kansas.
Quinn’s mother is so appreciative of the care she received from Children’s Hospital Colorado, which is one of the nation’s leaders in treating snake bite victims, and the incredible team of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit nurses, doctors and toxicologists who treated her.
Monroe gives credit not only to the excellent medical care she received but to the prayers of people near and far.
“That meant so much to us,” he said. “People stopped what they were doing to pray for this little girl. That grace is truly what made the difference in helping her not have complications that would lead to terrible outcomes.”
Monroe said he is grateful for the support he received from the diocesan office and from all those who not only prayed for Quinn themselves but asked others to pray as well. Church groups, an influencer on Instagram, military prayer groups and many people with no relationship to the family spread Quinn’s story. . From there, social media pages around the world spread the story and prayers poured in.
The niece he describes as a “super vivacious, super energetic” girl who “loves animals, people and running around outside” faces a long recovery.
Quinn’s mother told CBS News, “There’s a lot of tissue damage from the bite since it was so severe and deep.. There’s still a lot of unknowns right now as far as when she’ll be able to dance and jump again.”
What does the school superintendent want others to learn from his family’s experience?
“First, you can’t underestimate the power of prayer,” Monroe said. “Second, God’s providence can be trusted through everything. Although this was a tragedy, good has come out of it. Visiting doctors have been coming to the hospital to study her case, and we have been told that a new protocol for treating venomous snakebites in children is being developed, thanks to Quinn. This will help other kids in the future.”
“Third, it emphasizes the importance of family and the Christian community. Her story can uplift other people in terrible times. We don’t believe she would be where she is without the prayer warriors who said rosaries and prayed Masses.”
— Jane Pope. Photos provided