A few months ago, a Johnson County man who was bit by a copperhead. Since then, he's been living with family members because he was too scared to go back to his home.

Meanwhile, a local church came together to get him a new home-- one that will likely keep the snakes out. Earl Perkins has lived almost his entire life in this house, but it wasn't until months ago that he was almost forced to move out.

Earl was bit in the arm by a copperhead snake in June while he was sleeping.

"I was just laying there and didn't think nothing was wrong, know what I mean? I looked at it and went over to that house and I said something bit me! She looked at it and said it was a snake bite," said Earl Perkins, the man who got bit.

Earl says it was a painful experience and he hasn't been in his house since it happened.

"It feel like a ball of fire hit me."

The condition of his house seemed to be the cause of the problem.

"Parts of it were falling in and it was a likely place for a snake to be," said Ray Maynard who is a friend of Earl's.

Members of his church along with the Appalachian Christian Project and Links raised money to get him a new house--right down the road from his old one.

"I didn't realize what he was living in. He actually should've been taken out of that home 10 years ago or more. So just the thought that tonight, he can lay in a nice cool home and not have to worry about snakes," said Teresa Gullet, manager for a local elderly program.

Earl says he'll be sleeping here in his new home tonight where he knows he doesn't have to worry about any snake bites. He says he may go back to his old house just to pick up some of his old stuff.