Imagine coming face to face with a poisonous pit viper snake known as barba amarilla or Fer-de-Lance — one of the world’s deadliest.  It might seem a little difficult considering most Alabamians have never encountered one. The snake is swift and its bite can be fatal. However, one young man from West Limestone was bitten by the venomous serpent and lived to tell about it.

Alex White was 23 years old in 2007 and the world was his oyster. He decided to take an adventure to the jungles of Guatemala after graduation from Vanderbilt University.  The trip was a time of excitement, fun and renewal for a young man who would soon start medical school at the University of Nebraska.

Bags in tow, he arrived in Holmul, Guatemala on June 14 with approximately 30 other students, archaeologists and others. They set up camp and slept in tents in the jungle.

A couple of nights into the excursion, White decided to shower only to realize he had left his flashlight back at his tent. Freshly clothed and hoping not to get sweaty right out of the shower, he put on his sandals, borrowed a flashlight and headed out to find his own flashlight.

White was walking along the trail when he saw a sudden flash near his foot and then felt a sharp pain in his toe. He had been bitten.

His thoughts were that his worst nightmare was coming true. The events that unfolded in the days to follow including thoughts of death, assuming the worst, and a journey that took him from the jungles to a Guatemalan Hospital and on to the University of Alabama Birmingham Hospital.

During which time, his mom Dale, father Steve and sister Emilee were bracing for the worst and hoping for the best.  White would receive 11 vials of anti-venom before reaching full recovery.

White’s story of survival will be retold next week on the Animal Planet series “I’m Alive” produced by Gurney Productions.

The episode “Out of Reach” will air at 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 27, and at 8p.m. and 10 p.m. on Animal Planet high-definition channels.

“I’m Alive” features the death-defying and moving stories of people who — regardless of the obstacles or consequences — were determined to survive an animal attack.

White was contacted by the producers through Vanderbilt University.

White is on target to graduate from the University of Nebraska Medical School in Omaha next month. It has been said his experience gave him even more to concentrate on in medical school. The White family said that they are excited that his story of strength and survival will be told for others to see and hear.

Animal Planet is not carried on all cable systems. Check with your provider to see if it is available and for a specific date and broadcast time.