A Northern California man made a life-changing discovery while cleaning up Fourth of July beach debris.
The man, Jason Turner, picked up a “shiny, round object” on Point St. George Beach before it exploded in his hand. The explosion caused “severe injuries” to his left hand and left him with vision and hearing loss. Turner’s hand needed to be amputated due to its condition.
A GoFundMe asking for the public’s help said Turner was walking on a section of the beach near Crescent City with his girlfriend, Pamela, “picking up firework trash to help keep the area clean.”
He then spotted a “bomb-like” device and picked it up. The object exploded, injuring him.
The police were called, who spotted him severely injured, but in a conscious state, with his girlfriend unharmed. He was transported to the Sutter Coast Hospital in Crescent City.
The Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office believes the object was a homemade firework, about six inches long, that was left on the beach.
His family said the explosion turned “what should have been a simple act of kindness into a life-changing emergency.”
They’re asking for $40,000 to help cover his medical bills and other associated expenses.
“This sudden accident has brought a wave of challenges for Jason’s family. He will be out of work for some time. The road to recovery will be long and difficult, with many unexpected expenses along the way,” they wrote.
Kind onlookers have donated about $23,000 so far.
“Every bit of support will help ease the burden and allow Jason to focus on healing,” they added.
The beach explosion was not the only bizarre accident with a firework in recent months.
An 18-year-old teenager lost his hand while playing with a firework outside a California In-N-Out Burger on June 3.
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