SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A former San Diego man who nearly lost his foot to flesh-eating disease after a stingray sting at Black's Beach returned Tuesday to the area where he was stung.
Richard Woulfe, 62, was back on his feet Monday, nearly six months after a routine swim turned into a battle against necrotizing fasciitis. The ocean lover from Texas had been visiting San Diego in July when he was stung by a stingray while wading about 20 feet into the water at Black's Beach.
"When I was just about ready to jump in, I felt a little bit of a tug on the top of my left foot," Woulfe said in an interview in July.
After lifeguards treated the initial sting, Woulfe flew back to Texas. However, he ended up in the emergency room when strep and staph infections led to gangrene and flesh-eating disease inside his foot.
"So it's necrotizing?" Woulfe recalled asking him asking the doctor. A video shows him asking, "So the infection is already starting to take the foot?.”
The doctor confirmed his fears.
Doctors performed emergency surgery and were able to save Woulfe's foot. Two additional surgeries followed, including one in September where a skin graft was performed to help the deep wound heal.
"Other than numbness, no pain," Woulfe said about his current condition.
When I met Woulfe near the area where he was stung, he said there were a few nerves.
"When I pulled up today, I'm like, ‘That's where it happened,’" Woulfe said.
Despite his apprehension, a determined Woulfe took cautious steps during our meeting. He started walking on his foot a few weeks ago.
"So nice to be walking outside. It feels amazing," Woulfe said.
Woulfe still faces six to 12 months of physical therapy ahead of him, but he remains optimistic about his recovery and has set an ambitious goal for himself.
When asked if he would return to the water again, Woulfe didn't hesitate.
"Yes, most certainly," Woulfe said. "Water has been my entire life. Water is healing.”
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