Boy recovering after firework accident severely damages his hand
13-year-old Wade Evans shows how his hand has healed after a fireworks accident in December
PHOENIX - It's been a long road to recovery for Wade Evans who spent the 4th of July watching fireworks instead of lighting them. That's because he lost his thumb and index finger after holding one while it exploded in December.
"We were at (Phoenix) Children's Hospital for a month, and I was home with him for 2 months after that," his mother Natalie Evans said.
Two days after Christmas, Wade was airlifted to the hospital after he found a firework and lit the fuse inside their garage.
The firework blew up in his hand, splitting it in half. He lost some of his fingers in the explosion.
"I ran through out of my garage and into our house and then was screaming, obviously," 13-year-old Wade said.
"He was going for physical therapy and surgeries twice a week," his mom added.
Wade said in January, after his sixth surgery, he had plans to re-learn how to write and play video games with his left hand. After months of healing, he's doing much better.
"Actually, I tried but I didn't," he said. "I just started writing with this hand again and I still do."
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'I panicked': Firework blows up in young Arizona boy's hand
A 12-year-old boy is having his sixth surgery at Phoenix Children's Hospital after a firework blew up in his hand. He had to be airlifted to the hospital after his hand split in half and his fingers were missing.
All of his surgeries have gone well and he's close to getting his full range of motion back.
"It's not hurting or anything. It's almost normal," he said.
He is now up to eight surgeries and will head to the doctor again this autumn to determine if more are needed.
"I'm thankful it wasn't worse and I'm thankful that we're not too scarred from it. We can still enjoy the holidays and everything and go out as a family and enjoy it," his mom said.
Although his hand will never be the same, it's not stopping him from enjoying the fireworks show this year.