Saturday July 7, 2007, 8:28 am
This is exactly why I believe children should NEVER be allowed to handle fireworks!

Saturday July 7, 2007, 9:33 am
thanks, Esther....noted.

Saturday July 7, 2007, 9:39 am
Poor kid. There really should have been adult supervision. Where were his parents?

Saturday July 7, 2007, 9:57 am
Too young to be let loose with fireworks. This is so sad and the consequences are terrible for someone so young. I wonder how his parents feel now.

Saturday July 7, 2007, 10:04 am
This is terrible and very sad, the parents were obviously neglectful!

Saturday July 7, 2007, 10:23 am
My heart aches for this child and his family...Noted/ will pass on to others.Thanks for the article.

Saturday July 7, 2007, 12:24 pm
This is a sad story, sad because it was unnecessary to begin with, sad because the youth/not child, is marked and will have to bear the consequences visibly for the rest of his life, that is a very long time considering this child/youth is only 12yrs. of age now. He will also have to live with the nightmares that he will be suffering from as well for the entirety of his life.

Then there are his family, they are probably in terrible anguish over this accident, weather they were there or not is really not something to be pointing fingers at since it's so easy for a sneaky 12 yrs. old to go behind their parents back to be able to 'be in charge' and have the limelight all for themselves for a change. This is one that his parents are never going to be forgetting, in doing so would be-little the entire situation; this is yet another example of the dangers of fireworks.

There needs to be stronger laws in regard to selling and buying of them, the laws for lighting them, oh there will always be the ones that don't abide the laws, but if there were laws in place, then these situations would hopefully lessen.

Fireworks are going to still be invented, still be sold, still be lit and going off for the bang and the effect that is written on the shies that are so beautiful. The only hope is for stronger laws.

Saturday July 7, 2007, 1:11 pm
Noted, what can I say Hhhmmmmm. Same thing happens here and do have laws and Permits and this is still in the misdemeaner category. Go figure!

Saturday July 7, 2007, 1:37 pm
Really sad. Poor little guy. He sounds like a little trooper and it's good he is letting himself be an example for other kids who may decide to mess with fireworks. Many kids don't see the danger that fireworks can be. I sure hope he does alright and gets his vision back. Noted. Thanks for sharing Esther. It's important people see stories like this so that they can think more about the danger of fireworks and to not let their children near them and for kids to see that not always things that "look" like a dud always are. Or things that look safe really are safe. Thanks, will forward.

Saturday July 7, 2007, 1:43 pm
12 yr. olds will be 12 year olds, girls or boys and they will try things with their friends. Parents can only do so much. We talk ourselves BLUE in the face and we have "talks" WITH them, and still accidents happen. Not to all of them, thank God, but sometimes, they happen. When they do, we are all reminded once again how young 12 is, and that they can injure themselves for life and perhaps 12 yr olds seeing this will stop for a moment and think, but probably not, because at that age you are invincible-REMEMBER? My heart goes out to the parents who would not have had this happen for the world-we have no idea what they said or did or didn't say and do and look what they have to live with now. So, we shouldn't assume or judge, and I for one hope this precious boy can gain courage and strength from this and they can do wonderful things these days with plastic surgery if the insurance company WILL PAY FOR IT! It is reconstructive so I hope he is covered or that some Doctor has the compassion to help him achieve as close to his own face as he can. God bless him and his family. Noted.

Saturday July 7, 2007, 5:35 pm
From what I read, not only the parents were negligent, but the neighbors gave him the fireworks...duh, 12 year old kid unsupervised with explosives.....what were these people thinking?????
Either way, poor little guy is paying the price for their ignorance!!!
Good post Esther....noted.

Saturday July 7, 2007, 8:10 pm
Esther thank you for the posting. This young man has taken the initiative of showing other children what happened to him. The Netherlands is teh fireworks by families center as far as I am concerned. For years tehre have been active campains to have people be careful with fireworks. Still this sort of accident is very common here, Let the professional set of fire works.
My grandfather got a roman candle in his eye in the 19th century which later became blind. So my whole life I have known that fireworks are dangerous. Having part of city blow up several years ago when fire works storage caught fire is another reason. Holly T

Sunday July 8, 2007, 1:49 am
This is a terrible tragedy.In Australia you have to apply for a permit to buy fireworks which is probably a better option.Thanks Esther.

Sunday July 8, 2007, 4:42 pm
NOTED AND THANK YOU!

Sunday July 8, 2007, 9:58 pm
Noted, OMG that poor boy. Children should never touch fire works.

Wednesday July 11, 2007, 10:20 am
Fireworks are dangerous..Adults should not let children near them !

A boy 10 year I believe was killed this recent 4th July..HE accidently fell into the table holding the firework display... IT knocked over a large bomb firework..IT went off , Fired into chest at heart, and killed the child !