A snake-handling preacher who featured in a reality TV show died from a rattlesnake bite after rejecting medical assistance.
Jamie Coots, hailing from Kentucky, was known for his appearances on National Geographic’s “Snake Salvation,” where he claimed that handling serpents was safe for believers anointed by God. Despite facing dangerous snakes like copperheads, rattlesnakes, and cottonmouths, the 42-year-old persisted in handling them, even after losing part of a finger and witnessing fatalities from bites during services.
Coots’ faith was based on a passage from the gospel of Mark that suggested believers could handle snakes without harm. In February 2014, during a church service, Coots was bitten by a rattlesnake on his hand. Although an ambulance was called, Coots left for home before paramedics arrived. Later that day, emergency services returned to his house, where he was pronounced dead.
According to fellow preacher Cody Winn, Coots had been holding the rattlesnake when it bit him suddenly. Coots’ son Cody mentioned that his father had survived eight previous snakebites by praying and resting, but this time the reaction was swift and unexpected.
In the past, Coots had faced legal issues related to possessing venomous snakes, including probation in 2013 for crossing state lines with them and an arrest in 2008 for housing 74 snakes. Despite his death, Professor Ralph Hood predicted that Coots’ followers would be inspired to continue the practice as a tribute to his faith.
A friend of Coots affirmed that his death would not deter others but instead would be seen as a martyrdom for their beliefs. National Geographic expressed admiration for Coots’ dedication to his faith and the risks he took, stating that he and his congregation were committed to demonstrating their unwavering beliefs.
The tradition of snake handling, prevalent in West Virginia for over a century, is shrouded in secrecy, with pastors rarely allowing outsiders to witness their services.