Actor Dustin Hoffman is being credited with saving the life of a California woman, who, after having been stung by a bee, suffered a life-threatening allergic reaction. Lydia Graham, 36, was walking on Malibu Beach two weeks ago when she stepped on a bee. After the bee stung her, she attempted to remove the stinger, but her foot was already swelling up.

Graham, who had a less critical reaction to a bee sting last year, realized that she was in trouble almost immediately. “Within about 30 seconds, I could feel my whole body start to itch and blister,” she told the CBS Early Show, “My scalp was itching, under my armpits. I could feel my eyes starting to sting and swell and my lips starting to swell up as well.” Reaction to bee stings can be so severe as to cause difficulty in breathing and even unconsciousness or cardiac arrest.

Her friends, sensing trouble, alerted the lifeguard on duty who notified 911 of the emergency. But, realizing that the situation was quickly getting out of hand, one of her friends ran up the beach, finding Dustin Hoffman and his wife Lisa relaxing on their property. Ironically, Lisa Hoffman also suffers from allergic reactions and the couple keeps an emergency injection kit, known as an Epi-Pen, in their home. This injection devise contains a dose of epinephrine, which counteracts the affects of the bee venom.

With time running out, Mrs. Hoffman grabbed the pen and quickly injected the life-saving medication into Graham, preventing what might have been a fatal reaction to the bee sting. Since she had only had one previous adverse allergic reaction, she was unfamiliar with the Epi-Pen that saved her life.

After administering the shot, the Hoffmans covered Graham with towels, keeping her warm until emergency crews arrived. A spokesperson for the Hoffmans confirmed that the incident occurred but noted that the couple wished to make no further comment.