Photo: GoFundMe
A California man lost his hand and is currently navigating hearing and vision loss after a beach cleanup turned into an unusual Independence Day fireworks accident, according to a GoFundMe page. The accident ocurred along Point St. George Beach in Crescent City on July 5, and he has already undergone multiple surgeries for his injuries.
The GoFundMe, which was apparently started by the man’s daughter, describes him picking up a “bomb-like device” that detonated unexpectedly.
“The explosion resulted in the loss of his hand, turning what should have been a simple act of kindness into a life-changing emergency,” his daughter explains. She says her father is the main provider of seven children and now he’s headed for two more surgeries while there is still uncertainty about whether or not his hearing or vision will return after the accident. The fundraiser has gained more than $35,000 of its $60,000 goal in just over 24 hours online.
The Surfrider Foundation calls July 5th the “Dirtiest Beach Day of the Year” thanks to beaches being a popular place for Americans to celebrate the Independence Day holiday. The accident in Crescent City appears to have been a single civilian taking it upon himself to clean debris from a local beach, rather than taking part in an organized beach cleanup, but Surfrider hosts at least 50 beach cleanups on July 5 each year. In 2024, the foundation reported cleaning more than 50,000 pounds of trash from U.S. coastlines. In Los Angeles, for example, CBS LA reported that one cleanup in the Santa Monica Bay Area gathered more than 130 people for its July 5 event.
As for fireworks, the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission estimates that around 13,000 people are treated in emergency rooms for fireworks-related accidents each year. The Commission says the majority of those accidents happen in the weeks and weekends surrounding the 4th of July holiday.
