Dustin Hoffman to the rescue

July 24, 2004 -- DUSTIN Hoffman and his wife, Lisa, saved the life of a woman who was walking past their beach house in Malibu when a bee stung her on the toe.

Lydia Graham, 36, who is allergic to bees, started going into shock. The Daily Mail in London reports the Hoffmans were sunbathing on deck chairs when Graham was stung. Lisa, who is also allergic and has twice been rushed to the emergency room, ran indoors to fetch an emergency injection kit called an EpiPen. "My eyes were so swollen I could barely make anything out," Graham said. "But I could see well enough to realize who I was face to face with. I thought, 'I can't believe I'm being rescued by Dustin Hoffman, but I'm dying anyway.' He took me inside, sat me down and was giving me water and taking my pulse . . . I knew in a few minutes it would hit my throat and swell up my windpipe. It felt like someone had their hand round my throat and was starting to squeeze. Dustin ran to the stairs to shout to his wife to hurry. He was calm, but I think he knew I could die." Lisa got the syringe, and when Lydia injected it into her thigh, it had an instant effect. Lydia said: "They saved my life. When I asked him why they had been so helpful he joked: 'I only had two other choices ?either let you die on my property or push you out to sea.' "