A severe firework malfunction resulted in an 18-year-old losing his right hand on June 3, in Pleasanton, California. Nader Hanna was with a group of friends at the drive-thru of an In-N-Out Burger when they decided to set off fireworks.
Hanna described the incident to the San Francisco Chronicle, stating he lit a firework, described as being about the size of a tennis ball and wrapped in foil. "It just exploded in my hand the second I lit it," Hanna said. "My hand took the whole blow. I looked down and I didn’t see a hand. It disintegrated."
The high school graduate believes the firework was faulty, leading to its premature detonation. His brother, Ramsey Hanna, who was present, recounted the immediate aftermath. "I just saw a bunch of pieces, it just looked like pieces of skin," he said, recalling his attempt to find parts of his brother's hand to aid in potential salvage by medical professionals. A friend rushed into the restaurant to call 911 while police arrived and applied two tourniquets to control the bleeding.
Despite the traumatic injury, Hanna, who is naturally left-handed, has focused on his recovery and future. He has decided to pursue his first college semester online to remain near home for medical appointments and to begin the process of adjusting to a prosthetic. "It just motivated me to be better, for the future. Now I have to be someone great. I can’t be an average dude now since I don’t have a right hand," he told the outlet.
The Pleasanton Police Department issued a statement regarding the incident, emphasizing the dangers of fireworks. "This incident is a powerful reminder of how quickly fireworks can change lives in a matter of seconds," the department stated. "We want to remind everyone that fireworks are illegal in Pleasanton and can cause severe injuries, fires, and lasting damage, even when people think they are being careful."