Urgent Firework Safety
Oklahoma Mother Loses Fingers to Malfunctioning Firework, Calls for Safety Awareness
An Oklahoma mother lost two fingers trying to protect her daughter from a malfunctioning firework on June 19, 2026. Jessica Kies, a Bridge Creek hairstylist and mother of two, grabbed a Roman candle from her seven-year-old daughter when it misfired — and the second shot detonated directly in her hand, according to KLTV.
"My pinky finger and my ring finger were completely gone. And the whole side of my hand was completely gone," Kies said, as reported by WTOC. She has since undergone multiple surgeries and faces at least six months of rehabilitation — all without health insurance.
A Split-Second Decision With Life-Changing Consequences
The incident happened during a pre-Fourth of July family gathering. Kies's daughter lit the Roman candle, and it quickly malfunctioned. Kies instinctively grabbed it to shield her child. "Something in my stomach was like, 'You need to drop it,'" she told Fox 8 Live. "But of course, you don't act that fast."
The blast took her pinky and ring fingers and destroyed the side of her hand. Her husband Danny called 911 immediately. She spent roughly 24 hours in a trauma unit before stabilizing. A second surgery — a skin graft to repair remaining tissue — followed on July 1, according to KKTV.
Career on the Line as Recovery Stretches Six Months
Kies runs her own salon and depends entirely on her hands to work. Losing two fingers on her dominant styling hand is potentially career-ending. Surgeons project a minimum of six months of physical therapy. She faces relearning basic daily tasks — holding tools, opening containers, braiding her daughter's hair, according to WITN.
Because Kies has no health insurance, she is personally responsible for all costs — trauma care, two surgeries, anesthesia, and months of rehabilitation. A GoFundMe titled "Standing with Jessica Kies Through Her Healing" was launched by friend Tiffany Collins shortly after the accident. The Bridge Creek community also organized a meal train to support the family, Valley News Live reported.
Firework Injuries Spike Nationwide Every July
Kies's accident is far from rare. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recorded roughly 13,000 emergency room visits from firework injuries in 2025. That followed an even deadlier 2024, which saw 14,700 injuries — a 52% jump from the year before. Hands and fingers are the most commonly injured body parts, accounting for 35% to 36% of all firework-related ER visits, according to KOLD.
Oklahoma law allows consumer fireworks sales from June 15 through July 6. Bridge Creek is unincorporated, meaning residents can legally discharge fireworks on private property. Oklahoma City Fire Chief Richard Kelley warned that "fireworks are a serious safety hazard to people and property and should be left to professional shows," as noted by Atlanta News First.
Kies Hopes Her Story Prevents the Next Injury
Despite her ordeal, Kies expressed relief that she — not her daughter — was hurt. "I'm just grateful that it's me and it happened to me and not her," she said, according to KALB. She began speaking publicly just days before the Fourth of July weekend, turning her personal trauma into a safety warning for other families.
Her message is direct: never hand a child a aerial firework, and never assume one is safe after it misfires. A device that appears to have stopped can still fire. Kies learned that the hard way, and she hopes no other parent has to, Cleveland 19 reported.
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