For many, the Fourth of July was a time for celebration and patriotism. But for one family, it ended in tragedy. A 37-year-old man tragically died after fireworks struck him in the head. The incident happened in Long Island, New York.
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Gabriel Ruiz-Urresto had been throwing a party. That's when he lit a firework. Sadly, it exploded and struck the New York man in the head. The Suffolk County Police confirmed in a news release that they responded to calls of a firework injury.
But there was nothing that emergency crews could do to help. They pronounced that Ruiz-Urresto died at the scene. Following the death of the man, his son-in-law, Emmanuel Rosario Alvarez, launched a GoFundMe to help the family.
Funds will go to funeral expenses and helping his family during this difficult time. The family also mourned the loss of the man after the fireworks accident.
Fireworks Kill Man
"In an instant, our lives were changed forever," he wrote.
"My father-in-law was the kind of person everyone could count on. No matter what challenge someone was facing, he always found a solution," Rosario Alvarez wrote. "He never hesitated to lend a helping hand, whether it was family, friends, neighbors, or even someone he had just met. His generosity, kindness, and willingness to put others before himself are what made him such an incredible man."
"Above all, he loved his family," Rosario Alvarez continued. "He worked hard to provide for them, protected them, and made sure they always knew they were loved. He was the strength of our family, and his absence has left a pain that words cannot describe."
Sadly, this is far from just an isolated incident. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there's an estimated 15 deaths a year related to fireworks. This can be caused by misuse or malfunction, but the results are the same.
Additionally, 13,000 people suffer injuries to fireworks annually. Burns account for the most common injuries with the hands, fingers, face, head, and ears being the main areas for injury due to the explosives. Sadly, in this case, it resulted in a man's death.
