15-year-old loses part of leg, multiple fingers when self-made firework bomb blows up

HOUSTON – A 15-year-old boy is in serious condition at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital after a fireworks accident on Saturday, according to his family.

Rowdy Radford tied around 200 sparklers together with tape and when he went to light the self-made "sparkler bomb," it blew up right in his face.

"I just want this out, I want everybody to see this so they'll know what happened, don't let their kids do this. it's not worth it," Wendy Smith, Radford's mother, said.

Radford is in the hospital with injuries to his whole body. He has been undergoing surgeries for two days. Part of his left leg was amputated, he has injuries on his right leg, both arms need screws and pins to hold his wrists and elbow together, several of his fingers were blown off, his hands were severely burned and his face was severely burned as well. He went through surgery on both of his eyes and doctors are not sure if he will ever be able to see again.

"When it blew him up it caused severe injuries and they ended up having to amputate his left leg right below the knee, he also has severe burns throughout his entire body," Samantha Hansen, Radford's aunt, said.

 

With a name like Rowdy, they say he lives life to the fullest, always trying to make others laugh. They hope that spirit will pull him through this tough time.

 

"We know he's going to pull through, it wouldn't be Rowdy if he if he didn't," Hansen said.

According to a family friend, he is going to be a freshman this year and he wanted to be a mechanic when he grew up.

A family friend has set up a GoFundMe page to help with medical expenses.