Jessica Kies said she grabbed the firework moments before it fired in her hand.
TUTTLE, Okla. — An Oklahoma mother lost two fingers after she grabbed a malfunctioning firework from her 7-year-old daughter during a June 19 accident at the family’s home, leaving her with severe hand injuries and a long recovery.
Jessica Kies, a mother and salon owner in Tuttle, said the accident changed ordinary parts of daily life, from opening a bottle to braiding her daughter’s hair. Kies has undergone multiple surgeries, including a recent skin graft, after the firework fired in her hand. Her family has started raising money for medical expenses because she did not have insurance.
Kies said her daughter was holding the firework when it malfunctioned. She grabbed it away from the child, but the device fired before she could get clear. “Something in my stomach was like you need to drop it,” Kies said. “But of course, you don’t act that fast. It’s just afterthought.” The first shot left the tube, she said, but the second fired while the firework was in her hand.
The blast caused injuries that Kies described as life-changing. She said her pinky finger and ring finger were gone, and the side of her hand was badly damaged. Kies said she is still finding small tasks she can no longer do the same way. “It’s things that people take for granted that are just really small, and it makes a big difference,” she said. “Every day I find something that I used to do, and now, I can’t.”
Kies said she remains grateful that her daughter was not the one holding the firework when it fired. “I’m just grateful it happened to me and not her,” she said. “Every day I tell myself that, and it helps me get through it.” The accident happened less than three weeks before July Fourth celebrations, when fireworks injuries often draw renewed attention from families, hospitals and local officials.
Since the accident, Kies has had multiple operations as doctors work to treat the damage to her hand. Her recovery is expected to continue well beyond the first surgeries. As a salon owner, Kies depends on her hands for detailed work, making the injury both a medical and professional setback. The full timeline for her recovery has not been made public.
Kies said she is sharing her story so others understand how quickly a firework can turn dangerous. She described the moment as sudden and instinctive, with little time to react after the device failed. No public report has identified the specific brand or type of firework beyond Kies’ description of the malfunction. It also was not clear whether any agency is reviewing the device.
For now, Kies is recovering with support from relatives and the community. Her family’s fundraiser says the money will help cover treatment after the accident. Kies said the injury has forced her to adjust to basic routines while she continues medical care. Her next steps include more healing from the skin graft and continued treatment for her damaged hand.
Author note: Last updated July 7, 2026.