Teen stung by world's most venomous jellyfish thought she was going to die

Hannah Mitchell spent two weeks in hospital, suffering excruciating spasms and vomiting. Image / Channel 9

Hannah Mitchell is finally home from hospital after two weeks of excruciating pain, certain she was going to die.

On Easter Sunday, the 14-year-old was swimming with a friend near Goodwyn Island, off the Dampier coast in Western Australia, when she was stung by one of the world's most venomous jellyfish.

About the size of a match head and with a transparent body, the Irukandji jellyfish is almost impossible to see in the water.

"It was more than pain," she told Nine News. "It was enough to think I was dying."

Her mother Casey was about 40 minutes away. When she finally reached Hannah, her daughter was shaking and coughing up blood.

Small but deadly, the Irukandji jellyfish has tentacles which release a deadly venom. Photo / James Cook

The teen was taken to Princess Margaret Hospital and put in an induced coma for two days.

"This was the most peaceful she was the entire time," Mitchell said.

When Hannah woke up, the next two weeks were terrifying for the young girl.

"I could feel my lungs and my heart, everything inside me felt like it was crumbling."

Symptoms can vary, but typically when someone is stung they experience vomiting, spasms, increased heart rate and blood pressure and eventually death if untreated.

Devastated, Mitchell watched her daughter suffer as the toxins slowly left her body.
"Hearing her say, 'Just let me die, because it's too much mum' — it's just heartbreaking," her mother said.

Hannah is still required to take medication for two more weeks, but she is thankful the ordeal is finally over.

"I'll definitely be anxious about going back in the water, but I'm excited to go back to the way things were."